Present Day Demons
by lulgijak
Summary: Inuyasha Deadpool crossover: A demon and a derranged gun for hire make strange bedfellows when Kagome is mysteriously kidnapped one evening. What happens when the oddest of odd couples unites against the same target to save her.
1. Chapter 1

_Hello and welcome to my first posted fic. I'm glad I had a chance to finallydo something with this crazy idea, because I think it has a lot of potential. If at any time things get a little confusing - especially concerning Deadpool - I'll try to explain stuff at the end of chapters for those unfamiliar with the merc with the mouth. Anyway, thanks for reading; hope you enjoy it as much as I have writhing it so far..._

_Disclaimer: I don't own Inu-Yasha or Deadpool, respectively!_

_Somewhere in the Tennessee Hills__…_

The Mercenary known as Deadpool glanced up at the hand stenciled wooden sign announcing the sprawling white washed sheds hedged in by overgrown kudzu and shrubs as _Goshie Ashram_, and then back down at the heavily creased business card with the same name scrawled on the back, then up again. Yep, this was the place. Deadpool was sure he could hear a banjo twanging somewhere in the distance.

Doing a double take of his surroundings – the merc felt as if he'd just stepped into a scene from _Deliverance_ – he ascertained that there were no hillbillies waiting in ambush to make him 'squeal like a piggy'. With a shudder, he double checked his image inducer (he looked unmistakably like Ronnie VanZant) and headed through the bricked entryway.

The contract had been hazy at best: he'd been informed that he was to locate and attain some ancient relic and deliver it to a designated destination. Deadpool had the feeling however, that everything wouldn't go as peachy-keen as all that. Something about the whole state of affairs definitely stunk – and it wasn't just the chicken manure fertilizing the vegetable gardens.

He wondered, yet again, what had possessed him to take this assignment – certainly not the great pay. Apparently he still clung to some pipe dream that Terry would give him another chance if he made good on his commitment of 'no killing for a living' and only took jobs where casualties could be kept to a minimum. He wasn't sure how well this whole 'sanity' persona suited him, but he was willing to try anything for his 'Irish Rose'.

His resolve set, Wade Wilson entered the compound's main office.

_Tokyo Japan: Higurashi residence…_

Kagome dabbed her new perfume on her wrist and rubbed them together, spreading the scent to her neck and arms as well. She had to be careful not to use too much or else Inuyasha would grumble about it – his nose was so sensitive! Besides, she wanted everything to go perfectly for her and the half-demon's first official date.

Actually, Kagome had thought long and hard about the prospect before introducing it to the aforementioned. Heaven knew that whenever she and her silver- haired love interest spent too much time together in the present – unwanted adventures tended to unfold like the plot of a horrible thriller movie before them. Kagome's time period was supposed to be a refuge from all the rollicking she did in the feudal era; here, all she had to worry about was the next test around the corner or her friends' latest scheme to set her up with Hojo, and that's how she liked to keep it. The last thing she wanted to do was lose that security by introducing the demon malarkey that clung to her like a lingering flu onto the unsuspecting modern day – not to mention her rustic hanyou's tendency toward social faux pas in general. Regardless, she had enough faith in Inuyasha to feel relatively secure about her decision.

And so Kagome had casually approached the subject with the dog-eared boy one day while he was engrossed in a cup of beef ramen. Ever at his most congenial around food, his response was brief but affirmative (actually a 'yeah sure' between noodle inhalation) and the girl had been content.

Now making a few minor adjustments to her hair and skirt in front of the mirror, Kagome then trotted down to the bone-eater's well to wait for her date to arrive.

Fifteen minutes later, the girl fiddled nervously with her bracelet and frowned down into the well. Surely he didn't forget about their date tonight; she knew he'd heard her ask because she'd reminded him once again about it before she'd returned to her own time.

'_I wish he'd hurry up already; doesn't he realize I have a curfew?'_

"Hel-looooooo," she called into the hole anxiously. _–Sigh-_

She turned and dangled her feet over the stone ledge uncertainly. She was about to leap down the well herself and go looking for him, which she really hated to do because it would mean getting dirt all over her nice outfit, when one shoe slipped off her foot. Kagome listened to it hit with a muffled _bop._ What surprised and relieved her was the outraged _'hey!'_ that followed.

"Inuyasha?"

"Who else would it be," barked said demon as he suddenly took the ledge beside her in one leap.

She smiled apologetically at him as she took the shoe back and replaced it on her foot.

"So are you ready to go," she asked.

"Exactly where are we going, anyway?"

"On our date, of course," Kagome reminded him with a blush.

"I guess so; what _is_ a date?"

Deflating slightly, she sighed once again as she led him by the hand and out of the well house, "never mind, just come on."

_And that concludes the first chapter; don't worry, it won't take too long for the story to merge. By the way, if anyone was wondering "Terry" refers to Therissa Cassidy AKA Syrin, who Wade has an infatuation with in the comic books. Other things will make more sense as the story continues. M'kay, I'll try to update within a week - thanks again for any review!_


	2. Chapter 2

_Here I go again; I hope to make this a somewhat fast-paced story, so some interesting things start happening in this chapter. Also for you mushy types, there's some tender moments between Kagome and Inuyashawhich I really had fun writing. Warning: things may get a little more comfusing before they start making sense so just be patient - and enjoy!_

_Goshie…_

'_Maybe I could get used to this'_, Wade, a.k.a. 'Chuck' to the other residents, mused as he observed the nature fest taking place in the clearing designated for such occasions. Having been accepted into the fold, the incognito merc settled against a large water oak as girls in gauzy togas swayed to a strange combination of bluegrass and sitar music before his eyes. Afterward, a lengthy session of yoga was scheduled in the ashram.

Okay, so maybe the life of self discovery wasn't everything it was cracked up to be: aside from the free food and the liberty to watch public television to his heart's content, there were annoying mandatory chores to perform as well. His first time gathering vegetables hadn't gone over too great when he'd come upon a brown-eyed doe quietly chewing the leaves from a head of lettuce and proceeded to 'take down' the poor creature, pummeling it to death with its own hind leg. Afterward he'd had a venison spit roast on his front lawn that'd been somewhat less than embraced by the neighbors.

Unnecessary animal slaughter aside, he felt as though he were finally starting to fit in here. The peace-loving spirit of acceptance seemed to have a calming effect on his dementia. He almost regretted his plans for tonight, but he knew the longer he delayed the inevitable the more complacent he'd become.

Swami Fitzgibbon, the guru, was a hulking, George Harrison-meets-Grizzly Adams of a man who'd look equally comfortable chewing tobacco and carving canoes out of trees as seated in a lotus position. Deadpool had carefully observed him for over a week now and memorized his daily routine. The object of his mission hung round Fitzgibbon's neck – a string of prayer beads.

According to the story Wade had been given, the beads once belonged to a revered teacher – created as a divine gift. The stones were like no other found on earth, and were said to contain such power as to grant the wearer's any desire, even up to immortality.

At least a dozen questions had immediately cropped up in the mercenary's head concerning credibility of such a legend, namely: whatever happened to the first poor schlub to wear the supposedly all-empowering beads, and how did they end up on some son-of-the-soil, backwoods, Hare Krishna reject? '_I've got it! That teacher's mom could have found them lying around one day and sold them in a garage sale, thinking they were just some old Mardi gras beads, right? Then after they've collected dust in someone's attic for a couple centuries, they end up getting pawned, finally along comes Bubba Fitzgerald, who trades a bone handle pocket knife for them. Before ya know it, Goshie Ashram is born; it makes total sense!'_

He'd received no straight answer to his questions, but didn't care much. Even if the crack-pot story were true, from Deadpool's own personal experience, immortality wasn't all it was cracked up to be.

With a longing sigh, he tore his gaze from the romping nature dance, and rose to prepare for the evening's business.

_Tokyo…_

_Hold it now and watch the hoodwink  
As I make you stop, think  
You'll think you're looking at Aquaman  
I summon fish to the dish, although I like the Chalet Swiss  
I like the sushi  
'cause it's never touched a frying pan…_

Karaoke blared in the background as Kagome and Inuyasha sat outside the restaurant on the patio with their coffees. Kagome gazed up at the starry night sky and sipped her hot beverage – the evening had gone wonderfully.

She hadn't really known what to expect at first; although she and Inuyasha had run errands together before, she'd never actually taken him to an establishment for any long period of time. Everything here was foreign to the time-misplaced boy; none the less, he'd handled himself perfectly through dinner.

Kagome had ordered for the both of them, making sure to pick something Inu would like, particularly nothing spicy (she knew what a baby he was about anything with curry or wasabe). Apparently she'd done a good job too, because the half-demon had scarfed everything down – okay, so he didn't have the best table manners, but that was just part of his charm.

Aside from the fact that she was taking _him_ out instead of the other way around, it could have been any ordinary date; what made it special was being with Inuyasha.

She turned to give her companion an appreciative smile.

He sat with his mug poised halfway to his lips, examining the strange infusion with a quizzical sniff before taking the first sip. Immediately, he spat it back into the cup, sloshing more of the steaming liquid down his front in surprise.

"_Hot_," he exclaimed, dropping the ceramic mug back on the table, thereby splashing Kagome.

"_Ouch,_ Inuyasha," the girl scolded, grabbing a napkin and wiping her scalded arm.

"What is that stuff – it's hotter than hell!"

"It's called coffee, Inuyasha, it's supposed to be hot; just blow on it," she reached over with the napkin and dabbed up the excess liquid on his chest as his amber eyes watched her intently.

Feeling slightly self-conscious under the gaze, she sat back and looked up at the sky once again.

_I see the crystal raindrops fall_

_And see the beauty of it all_

_Is when the sun comes shining through_

_To make those rainbows in my mind_

_When I think of you some time_

_And I want to spend some time with you…_began a different singer from within.

"Inuyasha?"

"Huh?"

"I've really enjoyed our time tonight; thanks for coming with me."

The hanyou shifted awkwardly in his seat and adjusted the rim of his ball cap, "Uh, you're welcome – I liked it too – I mean – the food was okay."

The server walked by to pick up the bill, but neither of them noticed.

Kagome was once again taking in Inuyasha's striking features, which never ceased to astonish her, when a familiar brown mane suddenly appeared in her peripheral vision. The poor girl nearly slipped off her elbow and smashed face first into the table. Heading directly toward them down the sidewalk was, of all people, Hojo!

'_Oh no, oh no, oh no,'_ Kagome momentarily considered diving under the table and yanking Inuyasha with her, but quickly thought better of it. Great; the last thing she needed was an awkward encounter between the possessive dog demon and the boy from school with a crush on her.

She pretended to become very interested in her coffee, hoping that the other would pass by without noticing her – alas!

"Hey, Kagome, what's with you," the silver-headed boy, noticing her strange behavior, loudly demanded.

'_Oh Inuyasha, why are you such an idiot!'_

Hojo, now within three feet of her, suddenly looked up in mid-stride, "Kagome?"

"Oh hi there, Hojo," Kagome practically squawked, forcing an enthusiastic wave.

"Hello. What a coincidence, you're exactly the person I was going to see!"

Kagome could do nothing but grin stupidly, "Oh really," she could feel Inuyasha's eyes boring through her.

Without so much as a glance in the dog demon's direction, the human boy approached holding a small tin. "I would have expected you to be at home resting in your condition."

'_Great, now what illness has Gramps given me – typhoid fever, bubonic plague? – I'll kill him if it's hemorrhoids!'_

"You have to be careful when you're suffering from blackouts; fortunately I did a little research and found some good herbal tea that stimulates blood flow to the brain." He held out the tin to her.

"Gee thanks; that's really nice."

Across the table, Inuyasha grunted loudly, catching the other boy's attention. Kagome thought quickly, "Oh Hojo, I'd like you to meet my – ah – my cousin, yes, my cousin from out of town. He's visiting for a little while."

"A pleasure to meet you," Hojo bowed politely.

Inuyasha scowled in return.

"Well, I can see that the two of you are busy visiting," continued the first boy, looking confused, and a bit apprehensive at Inuyasha's unwavering glower, "Hopefully I'll see you in school, Kagome. Bye!"

"Bye," she replied to his retreating back.

She turned sheepishly back to her date who now sat hunched on the balls of his feet in the chair with his arms folded sullenly across his chest.

"Now what kind of behavior was that," she reprimanded.

Inuyasha's eyes flashed with outrage as though he wanted to ask her the same question. "Who wasthat," he jabbed a clawed finger past her shoulder.

Kagome rolled her eyes, "Just a boy from my school."

The half-demon cocked a dark eyebrow under his silver mane, "is that all?"

"Yes, that's all" the girl moaned.

Without another word, her companion pivoted and leapt nimbly over the back of his seat, eliciting a few stares from onlookers. Kagome hurriedly followed after him.

"I can't believe you're jealous of Hojo," she exclaimed as he lead the way to a nearby park. She watched him toss away the cap that concealed his ears and flop down on the grass. She plopped down beside him, her own irritation rising.

"Well, answer me this," he stuck his face inches from hers, "why'd you introduce me as your cousin – when I ain't!"

The girl started, "What was I supposed to say: this is my boyfriend from the feudal era who's a half-demon?"

Kagome watched his face go red in the dim lamplight before he turned away from her with a harrumph.

Silently she shook her head, he acted worse than a girl sometimes! She considered yelling at him for being so immature and ruining an otherwise perfect evening as she might have another time, but something held her tongue in check. Obviously their situation was as frustrating to him as it was to her; although they'd always be from two different worlds, there was still a vital connection between them that couldn't be broken.

Instead, she moved in front of him, planting her hands squarely on his shoulders, "Listen, Inuyasha, I want to be with you, not him or any other guy; that's why I asked you here, though goodness knows it'd be easier for me to date Hojo!" She nestled under his chin, "But he just isn't you." She could scarcely believe what she was saying; her heart felt as if it would bust through her ribcage.

Gradually, she felt his arms wrap around her and pull her close.

They remained intertwined for a couple blissful moments, when suddenly she felt his muscles tense. His claws dug uncomfortably into the back of her blouse, and Kagome looked questioningly up at him. He was glaring at something off in the distance past her right shoulder, his amber eyes almost glowing in the pale light.

"Stay here," he ordered, releasing her and suddenly sprinting away into the darkness.

She opened her mouth to protest, but shut it again as he was already gone. What had he seen, she wondered, or smelled – whatever heightened sense he'd used. She wasn't overly afraid, only a bit anxious; she'd seen Inuyasha go up against countless demons, so what could possibly pose a threat to him here?

Listening intently for any sound that might clue her in on what was happening; Kagome began to feel strangely lightheaded. An oppressive force swept over her, weighing down her shoulders and blurring her vision. Something was wrong – very wrong.

Desperately, she tried calling out to Inuyasha, but could only manage a whisper as the malevolent presence quickly claimed her and she knew no more.

_Wow!What the heck just happened here, and why'd that dope have to go and leave Kagome at a time like this? Well, don't stop reading yet; I havn't gotten to the best part! And as always, reviews are welcome and encouraged! Thanx!_


	3. Chapter 3

_The plot advances... Finally things start to pick up a little bit in this chapter - enjoy!_

_Goshie, once again…_

There were few things that officially freaked out the merc with the mouth, and this wasn't one of them; however, the sight of an almost seven foot man carrying on a heated conversation with his pectorals was enough to make even Deadpool slightly edgy.

Ever since yoga had ended fifteen minutes ago, he'd been reposing silently under the floor of Swami Fitzgibbon's quarters awaiting the guru's return. The secret niche proved to be invaluable for Deadpool's purposes – and it was right cozy too. From here, he would await the moment Fitzgibbon completed his ritual meditation and went to sleep, and then move in.

Things hadn't gone exactly according to plan, however, as the large man had decided it was necessary to have a heart to heat with his – uh – heart?

"But what can I do; that's not an easy request," Fitzgibbon pleaded at his chest.

He paced as he spoke; now turning his back to Wade's position, "just give me more time – that's all I need!" He threw his hands up in frustration, immediately flinching afterward as if stung by something.

"Yes, yes, forgive me, master; I will do as you wish!"

Deadpool watched, intrigued and faintly amused. Goshie's spiritual leader, shaking slightly, pulled his shirt over his head, revealing a strand of ivory beads partially obscured by a pelt of coarse, black hair and assumed his customary meditative position on the floor.

When he'd, at last, arisen, the swami prepared for sleep, as always, with the prayer beads hanging round his neck. Deadpool was not in the least bit deterred by the string's location; he felt it added the tiniest bit of challenge to an otherwise lame assignment. After singing "Lady Marmalade" three times over in his head (which he'd discovered was precisely the same amount of time it took for Fitzgibbon to fall asleep every night) Deadpool crept soundlessly out of hiding.

'_What's with this glorified costume jewelry anyway,'_ mused the mercenary, eying the prize draped over the sleeping man's sweaty chest. This was far too easy; there must be some catch to this bogus burglary that he'd missed so far – when was the other shoe going to drop? Was this some kind of trap; was he on a hidden camera show? Deadpool couldn't decide whether to be anxious or excited, but one thing was certain: he was decked in over twenty assorted weapons at the moment, and – by cracky – he was getting that necklace.

Approaching the sleeping swami, he hovered for a few moments – every muscle tensed in preparation for an ambush.

…Nothing.

His gloved hand slowly took hold of the strand, lifting it ever so slightly, then a little bit more. Gradually, he had them completely off the slumberer's chest and was working them over his head.

At last, the beads were free and the merc lifted them up for closer examination. A single hair that had escaped Fitzgibbon's scalp dangled momentarily from the string before dropping delicately back onto the same man's face. Suddenly, a pair of muddy green eyes flew open to behold the masked mercenary clutching the pearly strand.

Deadpool had just enough time to reach for the serrated blade on his hip than he felt his entire head being crushed like a melon between a pair of bear-like hands. A moment later, his skull was hammered against something that must have been rock, and everything went a little hazy.

_Tokyo…_

The evening was cool outside the heated cab where Mr. Taro Suzuki's gaze drifted absently over his newspaper. Tossing it aside, he glanced back at his watch: what seemed to be the passing of thirty minutes turned out to be only fifteen. The aging man stifled an impatient sigh – soon all his waiting and planning would pay off, he reminded himself.

A large red maple leaf from one of the park's nearby trees skittered across the cab's windshield and posted itself before his face like a gaudy, paper flyer. He spared it a moody glance before checking his surroundings once again for some sign of the individual he was scheduled to meet any minute now.

To pass the time, he allowed his thoughts to dwell on the power that would soon be in his possession – he'd only a couple loose ends to tie up, and that would be taken care of just as soon as the delivery boy arrived.

There was a clacking of heels on pavement and Suzuki (leaping back into the present) glanced up expectantly, only to see a woman striding briskly past him toward the subway.

The anticipation was killing him. Time seemed to stand still; even the congested city was bizarrely silent. Just then, an abrupt wind swept past, taking with it the obstruction on his windshield; in its place, a large man stood wrapped in a trench coat, leering in.

After the initial shock of seeing a three hundred pound man appear out of thin air, Mr. Suzuki quickly pulled himself together and stepped out to greet the mercenary he'd hired.

"Mr. Deadpool, I presume," he said in perfect English, putting out his hand.

"What gave it away," grinned the sumo wrestler who shook it, "my rugged good looks?"

The cab driver returned the smile coolly, "Just a wild guess; have you the item?"

"I have," returned Deadpool, "and let me tell you – the good swami put up quite a fight for it! The guy's got a skull harder than comrade Colossus – trust me, I speak from experience," he briefly flashed back to the earlier head-butt that'd nearly put him out of action, "fortunately, there's more than one use for an incense holder – which he'll probably have to get surgically removed, and even then he may never walk the same again."

"Very good, then you had no problems?"

"No severed body parts: always a plus, but somehow I think you're more interested in _this _than you are about me." Deadpool reached inside his trench coat and brought out the string of pale beads, holding them alluringly out to Suzuki, "Just like I'm more interested in getting the rest of my payment."

The older man's smile wavered only for a second before he replied silkily, "You will most certainly receive it." Without another word, he stepped to the back of his cab and pulled a brief case from the trunk, setting it nonchalantly on the hood before the deceptively hefty man.

Deadpool popped open the case to reveal many neatly stacked yen notes inside, "Hmm, I likes."

"And now if you please," Mr. Suzuki held out his hand for the beads.

"Huh," the sumo wrestler/merc looked up from his money distractedly. "Oh right; here you go," he replied, carelessly tossing the beads in the other man's direction.

A flustered Suzuki caught them.

"Well," Deadpool hoisted the brief case under his arm, "it's been a pleasure doing business with you, Mr. Suzuki – and hey – when I decide to buy a new bike I'll definitely keep you in mind." With that, the disguised merc turned to go.

"Just a moment," called Suzuki after him.

"Eh," the other turned to see the cab driver wearing the strange beads. He instantly began feeling lightheaded.

"I'm afraid I can't allow you to leave now. After so easily retrieving my beads from that back water yoga instructor, you may be just enough of a threat to take them from me as well."

The mercenary pressed the image inducer on his belt, immediately returning to normal appearance. Towering over the Japanese man, he leaned down menacingly. "First of all," he pointed a gloved finger in Suzuki's face, "you couldn't stop me from leaving if you tried, and secondly, what would I want with your grandma's old pearls –they wouldn't go with any of my outfits anyway!"

Mr. Suzuki laughed shortly, "You're wrong about the first part, at least: I can stop you – and that's exactly what I'm doing; besides, I need someone to test the limit of my abilities on – and who better than a homicidal low life such as yourself? I would be doing society a favor if I killed you."

"Why you little," Deadpool reached out to put his hand around Suzuki's throat, but somehow his arms felt like they weighed a ton each, and his fingers slid harmlessly off the slight man's shoulders.

The mercenary now found it difficult to even stand – arduously fighting off an overwhelming desire to lie down.

"Is this what you were trying to do," inquired the middle aged man, socking him squarely in the gut.

Deadpool went down like a load of bricks, gasping in ragged breaths.

"Okay nice trick – now what the crap is going on," wheezed the doubled over Wade.

"What's going on, Mr. Deadpool," the other informed him, "is that I am sucking out your essence to feed the beads' power. Fitzgibbon has already helped things along with all the energy given off by those dwelling at his ashram; however he could never hope to master the full capabilities of such an artifact.

"The truth is that I am their rightful owner considering that my ancestor was the first possessor of the beads, and I am the most fit to wield them."

By now, Wade had struggled to his knees and was attempting to stand.

"Extraordinary," remarked the other as he observed the heavily muscled man's obstinate refusal to stay down, "but you can't resist forever."

"Shame on you Suzie," scolded the merc, "if your granny knew what use you were putting her good pearls to she'd come out of her grave right now and flatten your pointed head with a rolling pin!"

The remark got no response except, if possible, an increase in the amount of energy being sucked out of Deadpool.

"Ooh, touchy subject I see – you know there's something rather Freudian about a guy who gets his jollies from wearing his grandma's old paraphernalia."

With all the strength he could muster, Wade brushed a hand against his belt, triggering a small dagger which shot out and buried itself halfway into Taro Suzuki's thigh. The attack caught the diminutive man off guard long enough for Deadpool to produce a handgun with silencer, which he rapidly fired off a couple times before he finally collapsed.

The first bullet only grazed Suzuki's hip, and he'd dodged the second one all together. He was now busy working the knife out of his leg, cursing quietly in his native Japanese as it, at last, pulled free. He momentarily regarded the fallen mercenary – he'd no idea the man would put up such a fight, but the power he'd gleaned from him was indeed great – certainly he was dead by now. Suzuki began to check for any energy remaining in the man when a strange, yet familiar voice spoke in his head.

_Watch your back! _

Suzuki whirled around in time to descry a pair of yellow eyes glinting at him from the willow tree he'd parked beneath. As soon as the creature was spotted it leapt from its hiding place at him.

"Iron Reaver," a claw ripped through his abdomen, "soul stealer!" The cab driver was thrown like a rag doll from the hill, into the park below.

Taro Suzuki lay prone on the grass for several moments, assessing his damage. Mercifully, the beads around his neck were already sending out their healing power to his damaged tissue. Above, he could feel the creature gathering strength to strike again – he had to act quickly.

The figure, white hair flying like a banner behind it, traced a swooping arc in the starry sky toward him. Suzuki automatically raised his hands, feeling for the first time the warm tingling energy shoot through his arms and from his fingertips. Now it was the airborne monster that was hurled backward.

There was a dull thud in the distance, then silence. The older man got quickly to his feet, eager to take his leave – it was too soon to tax the bead's tentative strength. Something, however, caught his attention, a new presence. His night-adjusted eyes registered a blurry white form several feet away.

Upon approach he found what appeared to be a young girl lying unconscious on the grass. A strange invigoration hovered around her.

_This girl possesses enormous spiritual power – we could feed extensively upon her essence. _

"I will take her with me, then," replied Suzuki, lifting the young woman into his arms. Without waking, she shuddered violently at his touch, as though their contact hurt her. _'Perhaps her soul is especially sensitive and she was affected by the outpouring of power I just exerted when I consumed the hit man's strength – in which case she is to be absorbed slowly and gradually in order for me to gain her full potency.'_

_Go quickly _the beads admonished him _lest the hanyou that's protecting her catch you; you must take to the air as soon as possible. _

"Where shall I go," he asked, obediently scurrying up the hill to his car.

_I will lead you. _the voice promised simply.


	4. Chapter 4

_And now, because nobody demanded it – here's the fourth chapter! Yay!_

_Condensed Version: Inu and DP meet at long last – and what fun they have! …Also some other stuff happens with some other characters, blah, blah, blah._

_Inuyasha…_

From where he lay, Inuyasha could hear the old man scramble up the incline and into his automobile which pealed off into the night. He cursed savagely – what had that bastard done to him – his body was completely paralyzed!

With all the strength he possessed, the half-demon struggled against the enchantment locking his limbs in place for quite some time; at last a tingling began to creep into his extremities. Almost as quickly as it had hit him, the spell now dissipated. The boy got unsteadily to his feet, shaking off the lingering funk.

Amidst his bewilderment, Inuyasha suddenly remembered Kagome waiting in the clearing. He sprinted to the place where he'd left her, a sense of foreboding already settling in his guts. Upon arrival, his stomach gave a sickening lurch – she was gone.

'_How could I leave her alone like that,'_ he berated himself.

"Kagome," he yelled in the vain hope that she was only hiding nearby, and would emerge at his call. The mocking noises of the alien city that had swallowed her up were the only reply he got.

He knelt down and sniffed the spot. Immediately his hackles rose – the man with the beads had been here; he'd taken Kagome!

Inuyasha tore back up the hill, his nose confirming what his brain already knew with every step. She was gone – carried off in that maniac's mechanical carriage.

He wasn't sure about the amount of time that had passed between now and when he'd first been stunned, but it seemed like an eternity. The dog demon sniffed the asphalt – the trail was already beginning to get lost in the myriad of other smells from the machines that traveled the nearby road; even if he were able to follow it they would be miles ahead of him by now. As swift as he was he doubted he could catch up before the scent failed entirely. Never-the-less, what choice did he have but to try?

Before he could make a move, a crumpled form in his peripheral vision caught his attention. Inuyasha spared the lifeless man a glance – taking in his strange appearance. Every inch of his skin was concealed by a tight-fitting material; even his face was lost behind a featureless red and black mask.

The hanyou briefly wondered who he was and about his connection to Kagome's captor. After sensing a strong demonic aura, Inuyasha had followed it to where he'd first beheld the pair conversing in an unintelligible jargon, all the while the smaller man siphoning strength from the other through the same string of demonic beads that he'd afterward turned on Inuyasha.

Now his massive victim lay motionless, the boxy container he'd been carrying abandoned on the ground beside him.

Inuyasha moved to inspect the object, hopeful it would yield some clue as to the whereabouts of Kagome and the old man, and what the latter planned to do with her. Busy fiddling with the brief case, the half demon didn't notice the body behind him stir. Something like a bird suddenly chirped and immediately a searing pain ripped through the back of his rib cage.

_Goshie…_

Three and a half years ago a man named Carl Fitzgibbon had come across a beautiful string of prayer beads in an antique shop. Being a man who dabbled in yoga and meditation, he'd purchased them, curious about their mystical properties. From the moment he'd placed them around his neck all those months ago, he could count on one hand the amount of times he'd ever taken them off.

Not only did the simple stones live up to his expectations, they surpassed them. As he meditated on them he perceived himself growing in spiritual discipline by leaps and bounds to the point where he felt compelled to seek out others and form Goshie Ashram.

But now he was lost, it was lost, and everything was lost! Fitzgibbon could not find the strength to move from the spot where he'd lain for hours upon end now. Everywhere around him people were leaving: he could hear his followers emerging from their dwellings like awakened sleepwalkers. Feet, bikes and automobiles crunched on the graveled path leading through Goshie's gates. There was nothing left to hold them here – he realized that now.

His charisma and enlightenment had fled along with his instructor; he felt like a discarded vessel. When the beads had first inspired him to start his own following, it seemed the more spiritual seekers he'd gathered, the more powerful he'd felt – not only physically, but mentally and emotionally he was at his peak. He'd possessed boundless confidence, secure that the prayer beads would always be available to grant his every desire.

The trouble had started only recently when the beads – that would whisper instructions to him – began to demand more bodies in the enclosure, a task Fitzgibbon apparently wasn't meeting fast enough for the object's liking. He began to feel less like a leader than a puppet as he finally realized it wasn't he wielding the beads at all, but they were a separate entity who controlled him.

Perhaps it had never been his idea to become a guru in the first place, but only the beads manipulating him for their own cryptic reasons. Everything he had he owed to their authority, and they _(it?) _wouldn't let him forget. He knew he was at the mercy of this entity, but didn't care; after all this time he saw he was nothing without it – he must find it again. Somehow he must find out where that masked thug had taken the enchanted stones and get them back.

The former swami forced himself up; he needed to collect his thoughts and to concentrate.

_Deadpool…_

Wade's gradual return to consciousness was punctuated by a series of loud thumping sounds his muzzy brain refused to recognize. _'Am I dead,'_ he wondered, trying to feel his body. Who was making those sounds – was Suzuki still there, and if so, what was he doing?

The numbness faded as his healing factor began to kick in. Gingerly, he opened his eyes; a hazy red and white blob hovered next to him which abruptly emitted a menacing growl. Wade, feeling the gun still cradled like a child's beloved toy in his hands, instinctively did what he knew best.

**_PFFT_** chirruped the .38 caliber, merrily. His target let out a louder, somewhat less happy noise, but failed to go down. Seeming less hurt than enraged; the injured party instead leapt to its feet, full of piss and vinegar.

Dragging himself to a sitting position – Wade suddenly found himself aiming at the knee caps of someone in red pajamas.

The second thing he noticed as he drew his gaze upward was a fist being pulled back beside a snarling face. Moments later, he was lying sprawled against the pavement once again, this time with a definite fractured jaw; a bare foot stomped down on his right wrist as the semiautomatic was pried from his fingers and flung away.

The guy in the pj's growled something incoherent at him: in the amount of time it took Deadpool to realize he was speaking Japanese, the long-haired youth had him by the throat, jerking him to his feet.

Wade's mind struggled to recall any of his own rusty Japanese, so he began with his defaultphrase:"Have you any octopus today?"

Pajama guy's grip loosened slightly as he gave Wade a baffled look, "Say what?"

"Did anyone ever tell you that you have cat's ears," Deadpool now pointed out –picking the language back up rather rapidly.

This time the guy in red flung him unceremoniously to the ground yet again. "Shut up you idiot! Where did he take Kagome?"

Picking himself carefully up – he still smarted from Suzuki's attack and the kid's sucker punch – it was Deadpool's turn to be confused. "Who's Kagome?"

"Never mind," barked the white haired teen glaring impatiently toward the street, "who is he?"

"That's what I'd like to know," demanded Deadpool, arms akimbo.

The other regarded him with growing ire, "_What_ would you like to know?"

"…Who _he_ is."

"The old man I saw you with!"

"No, the other guy!"

_"What other guy?"_

"The one you mentioned – Karochi."

"Do you mean _Kagome_," growled the boy.

"Yeah, that's the one – who's he?"

"Kagome isn't a '_he_'; tell me about the man wearing the beads, you moron!"

"Why should I," challenged the merc, "maybe I should ask who the moron wearing the beads in _front_ of me is!"

"None of your business," the guy with the ears grumbled, shooting the busy street an almost panicked glance, "I don't have time to screw around with an idiot like you; Kagome needs help."

"In case you haven't noticed, _you _need the help," stated Wade offhandedly, "you're the one who's bleeding everywhere."

Dark gore indeed oozed lazily from the boy's back, but he remained unfazed. "No thanks to you," he snapped, but his anger sounded hollow and distracted.

Somehow the kid's demeanor had a weird effect on Deadpool – a feeling akin to commissary stirred within him. He couldn't help thinking he was somewhat responsible for the strange individual's current situation, although he was still trying to figure out what exactly it was. Wade was in a rare mood for some bizarre reason; perhaps he was finally beginning to mellow after all – or maybe it was just because the other's little fuzzy ears were so gosh darned cute!

"Okay, let me get this straight: Suzuki, the wanker that just now tried to cash in my chips, has kidnapped your lady friend?"

The boy nodded silently, his bronze orbs fixed intensely on Deadpool.

"Well, the good news is that our goal is momentarily the same: sending little Suzy to the cornfield. Whatever rock he's crawled under won't be dark and slimy enough that I can't slither in after him – man he doesn't know who he's dealing with!" the mercenary ejaculated, punching his hand for emphasis, "I'm gonna make him a new necklace out of his own intestines after I string him up with them!"

"Feh, whatever," grumbled his companion, "I'm going to get Kagome; do whatever you want – just don't get in my way!"

"Oh really," Wade crossed his arms over his broad chest, amused, "and where do you plan on looking first in a city of over twelve million people – provided he hasn't already gotten out by now? Do you carry around any high-tech tracking equipment in those pajamas?"

"The only 'tracking equipment' I need is this," the other pointed a clawed finger at his nose.

"O-kaaay," replied an unconvinced Wilson, "but it sure would help if say you had someone with you who knew a little about the piss-ant that's got your girl friend and who makes a living out of finding people that don't want to be found."

The kid's amber eyes narrowed suspiciously at him, "What are you getting at?"

Deadpool shrugged, kicking at the ground in mock bashfulness, "just that I kinda think, ya know, that we'd make a pretty swell team maybe – c'mon, pwetty pwease!" He laced his fingers in front of his face and squatted down to be at eye level with the fair-haired boy.

The teenager looked mildly revolted, "I don't need any help from you." His harried expression said otherwise, however.

Wade shrugged in defeat, "alrighty then, have it your way; I guess I'll just go back to my street corner now, peddling my services to the less discriminating girlfriend-less clientele," he turned and started to walk away, heading in the direction he'd first came from. He paused as he approached the heavily trafficked street; listening for the sound he knew was coming.

"Wait a minute," called the kid after him.

Wade whipped back around, pretending to be surprised by the beckon, "Who, me?"

"What can you do to find this guy," the youth had marched up; his face was inches from Deadpool's masked one.

"All in good time," the merc assured him, "first we need to go back to the beginning."

He suddenly thought of something, "Oh yeah, I'm Wade, by the way."

The boy hesitated, and then replied, "I'm Inuyasha."

_Undetermined location…_

Kagome awoke feeling weak and dizzy; most alarming, however, was her new location. She was no longer sitting in the twilight of the park, but now lay upon a simple straw mat in the middle of a sparse room.

The flustered girl struggled to her feet, gaping around at the four white walls containing a single door and no windows. Trying the door she (of course) found it locked. Panic began to set in.

"Help," she called, "Inuyasha!"

Silence.

With effort, Kagome managed to calm herself – it wouldn't do to loose her head right now. She had to find a way out before whoever brought her here returned to do whatever they'd planed to do to her.

She tried to think of a reason why anyone would abduct her – it wasn't as if she'd fetch a good ransom. More importantly, what had been that sensation that had come over her earlier before she woke up here? Whatever it'd been, she knew it was bad and must have to do with why she was here.

She'd never quite felt anything like it before, although it was similar to when she'd nearly had her soul sucked into Kanna's mirror. Could it have possibly been a demonic force – if so, where could it have come from?

_'Why me?'_

Her eyes traveled up the walls to the ceiling. The first thing that struck her was the stained, cracking plaster above an otherwise new and intact looking room. There were no vents anywhere – nothing she could possibly climb through; the only way out remained through the single door.

Briefly checking over her person for any potential tools/weapons, it suddenly occurred to her someone might be watching. She didn't see any cameras, but that didn't mean anything. She decided she needed to be very discreet for the time being until she found out more of what was going on. Now was the time to assess her situation and formulate a plan of action.

Maybe Inuyasha would find her soon; then she wouldn't have to worry about anything. Kagome hoped for the latter.


	5. Chapter 5

_Well, there's not much to add about this chapter. Inu and DP are off on a slow and shaky start, but they'll find Kagome or kill each other trying – either way it'll be fun. Meanwhile others are also concerned for Kagome. _

_Tokyo_

The half-demon inwardly groaned anticipating the world of pain he was about to enter. None of that mattered however, only Kagome's safe retrieval. So doing what he must, the recently zapped and shot Inuyasha braced himself as he strode directly into the line of traffic. No sooner than he'd crossed over the white reflective line, twin beams of light assailed his sensitive eyes. The blinded hanyou held his hands instinctively out in front of him and waited for the impact.

There was a heavy thud as he immediately felt a smooth brittle substance slam into his open claws, his unshod heels scraped mercilessly against the coarse asphalt. Cringing, the demon boy managed to hold off the speeding automobile for a second before it plowed him over and came to a screeching halt.

The victim lay prone for a moment; it wasn't much worse than being 'sat' by Kagome, he decided, but that in itself was still sometimes enough to leave him laid up for a couple days. He didn't have time to flinch as a second car, tires squalling, careened into the first; a third attempted to swerve that one and instead fishtailed into a truck in the next lane. All around, nothing but the scream of wheels and blaring horns could be heard as the smell of burnt rubber subtly lent itself to the ambiance of chaos.

Amidst the commotion, an officer suddenly stepped up to the first vehicle and opened the passenger door. A flashlight shined in on the badly shaken motorist who looked up from her deployed airbag.

"License and registration, ma'am," the policeman asked in a thick accent.

"I think I just hit someone," she gasped hoarsely.

The man gave her an odd look, "have you had anything to drink tonight, ma'am?"

"Have I what?"

The officer nodded as if he now knew everything he needed, "I'm going to have to ask you to step out of the car, please."

"But I think I'm injured, shouldn't I wait for an ambulance?"

"You should be glad that I'm not hauling you into the station for a DWI," he snapped at her, "consider this a warning; but because I can't allow you to drive home in your condition I'm afraid I'll have to confiscate your vehicle." As he spoke, he now lifted the petite woman like a child out of the car and set her casually down on the side of the road.

"But, but…" she stammered.

Without warning, the man she'd run over emerged from under the automobile carelessly brushing bits of glass and debris from his outlandish costume. He looked, amazingly, to have suffered only minor cuts and scrapes.

"Thanks for stoppin'," he muttered.

Uttering another grunt, the young man slid into the passenger seat of her car immediately followed by the cop who jumped into the driver's side!

Deflating the air bag, the "officer" gave her a final wave before the vehicle lurched forward and sped away with the two con artists. The poor flabbergasted woman could do nothing but gawk after them as the other distressed motorists from the pileup trickled out to join her on the road's shoulder.

Wade wove deftly in and out of the thick Tokyo traffic with his right elbow dipped out the open window and the radio belting out Japanese pop. Meanwhile, Inuyasha hung the entire top half of his body out the opposite window as he inhaled the whipping wind. Try as he might – he could not distinguish the signature smell of the engine that had transported Kagome from the hundreds of other very similar smelling travel devices.

Occasionally, he thought he could almost detect the girl's pungent perfume pierce through the smoggy haze, but it always vanished before he could determine its precise direction. He presently caught the scent once again, this time he was sure of it – the melding of the artificial chemicals with Kagome's naturally sweet odor; as thin as a spider's thread it drifted across the rows of vehicles pulsing along the vast urban channel. Inuyasha smelled it heading toward the exit on the opposite side of the divide.

"That way," he shouted from outside the window as they neared the ramp.

"Thanks for the early warning," snorted his chauffeur, leaning his own head out to take note of where the other indicated, "but since you weren't considerate enough to get clobbered by something a little bulkier – like say a Wells Fargo – it doesn't look like we'll be able to plow through this parade quick enough to catch it."

The hanyou immediately took matters into his own hands. Pulling himself the rest of the way out, he climbed to the roof of the car and proceeded to the turnoff leaping from one vehicle to another – much to the shock of the unfortunate motorists.

He knew Kagome had been this direction; after that, however, things were less certain. For as soon as his feet hit ground he stood facing another busy street at the end of the ramp, traffic heading in either direction. Inuyasha swore quietly, once again the faded scent was broken and he was leadless.

"You know, you might try giving me a little more warning next time before you decide to 'frogger' it across a busy highway like that," remarked a voice behind him.

Wade appeared tripping down the grassy slope to where silver haired boy stood.

"I lost the trail again," snarled Inuyasha, punching a hole through the ground in his frustration.

"Relax," the mercenary shrugged, "there are plenty of other clues to guide us –he's most likely off searching for his ancestral hand bag with matching shoes right now to complete his evil ensemble! He probably figures a teenage girl will know all the best shopping resorts; Kagome obviously has good taste," he held up the girl's abandoned purse as an example.

"Will you shaddup and quit making stupid jokes already," snapped Inuyasha, "everything in this future time makes absolutely no sense – especially you!"

"You never told me you were from the future! I have a lot of questions: can you get KFC on the moon yet; will Oprahism become the new world religion?"

"I ain't from the future, stupid, you are! _This_ is the future for me," explained the tested hanyou.

Wade appraised the other with a critical eye, "that would explain why your pajamas look so old – but not why you have cat ears."

"They're not cat ears," Inuyasha ground out, "I'm a dog demon!"

"You're a dog demon?"

"Actually, a half dog demon," admitted the other.

"A half dog demon," Deadpool again parroted.

"Yeah, that means I'm stronger and faster than a human like you."

"Is that supposed to impress me," Deadpool smirked behind his mask, "maybe if you were a _real_ demon and not just a _half_ demon, not only that, a half _dog_ demon – I mean come on, dogs are man's best friend, everyone knows that! But if say you were something like a _jackal _demon or even a demon that looked like my 9th grade French teacher – now that would be pretty scary; I might have a healthy dose of respect for you then. Seriously, the man had a goiter the size of Jupiter on the side of his neck!"

"Will you please _Shuuuut-uuuup_!"

"Nope, probably not!"

A pregnant pause followed in which Inuyasha punched the ground once more for good measure before turning back to his unlikely companion, "Well if you have any bright ideas now would be a good time to mention them, otherwise I'm about to tear this city apart and anyone else who gets in the way of finding Kagome!"

"As fun as that sounds," suddenly remembering something, Wade fished around on his person until he produced what looked like a small folded piece of trash, "I think I know a quicker way." Flattening out the crumpled business card, which bore the legend _Goshie Ashram _scribbled hastily on the back he flipped it over and read aloud, "Tri-Mega Industries: 'When only the best will do'," He handed the slip of paper over to the dog demon, "Here, Suzy gave this to me when I first took the job."

Inuyasha frowned at the dog-eared (pun intended) object. "What is this supposed to mean?"

Wade smacked his forehead in exasperation, "Isn't it obvious? Tri-Mega is clearly some sort of – er – industry that uhhh… Anyway, it's something! And I guarantee that if we find this place it'll lead us to Suzuki."

The half-demon looked hopeful, "Where do we start looking?"

"Nowhere that a couple well placed phone calls couldn't tell us," Declared Deadpool, "I guess I should mention that I wrecked the car back there; turns out you really _can't_ force your way across three lanes of traffic in just an '88 Corona. Anyway, let's get me back to my hotel room, and we can get started."

"You what! Now we don't have any transportation, you idiot! How far away is this place we're going?"

"Oh a looooooong way from here," Wade chuckled.

Inuyasha crossed his arms, resisting the urge to unsheathe the Tetsusaiga, "And how do we _get _there?"

"I think you just answered your own question; after all, you're stronger and faster than I am."

"So," the boy paused. "Why are you looking at me like that – wait a minute, you'd better not be thinking what I _think_ you're thinking, 'cause the answer is no!"

Five minutes later Wade was headed north on what he'd coined the 'Inu-Express'. "To the Ramada Inn as fast as lightning," he cackled in his best wicked witch.

His disinclined palfrey took the time to appreciate – for once – Kagome's petite frame as he bore the ample merc by the scenic route to Deadpool's lodgings. He couldn't think of anyone else he would ever go through this for other than her –accept (he guiltily admitted to himself) Kikyou, of course.

_Higurashi residence…_

All was quiet in the house; the only one still awake, Ms. Higurashi paced from the living room to the dining room giving the front window the occasional anxious glance. She straightened up the house as she walked, attempting to deny her true purpose for staying up so late. She knew she shouldn't worry – that nice Inuyasha was very trustworthy and there were few people she would trust more with Kagome.

Still, she couldn't help being concerned when her only daughter was out this long past curfew. The pair might have decided to head back to the feudal era, but it wasn't like Kagome to run off without any notification.

She told herself not to worry; they must have a perfectly good reason to remain out so late. Perhaps that boy was keeping Kagome's hands full with his antics, she thought with a smile. No matter how hard she tried to shake it, however, her mother's intuition told her that something wasn't right. She'd felt such an odd sensation earlier – a pang of fear followed by a dizziness as if she were about to pass out. The feeling passed, but Ms. Higurashi's uneasiness remained.

Once again, the lone woman crossed to the window and stared out, hoping her daughter would return home soon.


	6. Chapter 6

_Now it's time for chapter – uh – six I think! In which Kagome gets tired of waiting for Inu and takes matters into her own hands. Meanwhile the two male heroes have a (ahem) disagreement. Also, Shippo loves candy!_

_Kagome…_

Around the same time that her mother was waiting up and Inuyasha was dashing madly about Tokyo with the masked mercenary, the cause of all the pandemonium sat brooding in her 'cell'. Of all days not to wear a watch, Kagome couldn't believe she'd picked today; it was still in her purse – which, of course, she didn't have anymore. She wondered if whoever abducted her had it (that bothered her particularly for some reason) anyone had yet to appear, and as best she could tell she'd been awake for what seemed like twenty minutes.

During this ample time she'd memorized every square inch of the barren room. Her eyes, however, constantly strayed to the apparently water damaged ceiling more even than to the door. Kagome wondered how badly rotted the plaster really was as she slowly rose to her feet, perhaps bad enough.

She couldn't stand sitting around any longer. Her sense of urgency was higher than ever, and if she was going to do anything it had to be now before time ran out – assuming it already hadn't.

Forcing herself not to dwell on the previous thought, the school girl slipped off her heels and pocketed them. She then crossed over to her straw mat (which had been so considerately laid out for her) rolled it tightly up, and tucked it under one arm. With her arsenal secure, Kagome set her bare foot gingerly atop the doorknob, using it as a miniature ledge. Her thin fingers quickly found purchase on the doorframe. All the climbing she'd done in the feudal era, coupled with the rock climbing lessons she'd taken earlier last year helped her keep steady on the precarious perch.

Holding on tightly with her left hand, she eased the straw cylinder she'd made out from under her right arm and thrust it forcefully into the crumbling ceiling, then a second time, and a third. The plaster gradually began to loosen; a shower of beige chips rained down around her. Kagome now pounded with increased vigor, throwing her entire strength into the labor and abandoning all concern about the noise level as the puncture steadily widened. Her heart thudded wildly, echoing the pounding of the stiff straw.

Once she managed to crawl onto the beams, were would she go from there? Kagome didn't know, but anything was better than simply waiting around to die.

She reached up as high as possible and managed to brush the rough surface with her fingertips – but she remained too short to pull herself inside.

At last the girl had a decent sized opening just large enough to squeeze into; the trick was simply reaching it. Hastily wiping her sweaty palms on her skirt, she took several large breaths, bent her knees as much as she dared, and leapt from the knob. It was a rather pathetic jump considering she had virtually no room to launch; her hands grasped nothing but insulation which quickly began to rip with her sudden weight.

Kagome clambered up the insufficient fiberglass, managing to grab plaster just as the insulation finally gave way. Now it was the damaged ceiling's turn to come apart. She gritted her teeth in frustration: there had to be a beam nearby. Much as she dared, the teenager felt around for something substantial to grab onto, but the stained plaster tore free in her grasp before she had the chance.

Dangling from one arm, Kagome clung for dear life, knowing if she fell she would not be able to reach the ledge again; the hole had ripped too wide to try jumping up from the knob and grabbing the sides. Even as the part of the ceiling she still clutched groaned dangerously, she spotted wood jutting out like an exposed rib of an enormous animal carcass from the plaster she'd just torn away. Hurriedly, the girl lunged for the beam. She released a small shriek as simultaneously, the remainder of the ceiling broke off in her hand.

By some miracle, her fingers just barely gained purchase on the wood in time and she was able to claw her way onto it. Shaking slightly, she wrapped her legs around the support from beneath, righted herself, and cautiously eased her way inside the gaping hole.

Though relieved, Kagome had no time to congratulate herself or examine her cut and bleeding fingers – she knew she might be caught at any moment and she still had no idea where to go from here. Crawling carefully from beam to beam, the girl allowed her eyes to adjust to the dim lighting. The room below had only been lit by a single naked bulb in the center of the ceiling; whereas the attic area was not only stifling, but also devoid of light, windows and anything accept more pink insulation.

Somewhere (she could not tell whether it came from below or without or if, perhaps, she'd only imagined it) a dull thump reached her ears, and her heart suddenly leapt into her throat. Certain she'd been caught, a few agonizing moments passed before the teenager hastily returned to the task of escaping.

The sour smell of mildew nearly choked her. Putting her hand accidentally on the cottony lining between the supports, Kagome felt a wet, squishy sensation and realized the entire area was completely saturated.

_'Where's all this water coming in from?'_

Her unspoken question was shortly answered as a dimly glowing crack materialized in the darkness from the roof near the opposite wall. Cautiously and quickly as possible, the fifteen year old crawled toward the slender crevice and pressed her face against it. She could faintly feel the outside wind and see the shimmering lights of the darkened city. So she _was_ still in Tokyo then?

Using her shoulder, Kagome shoved against the rotting wood – with little give. After a minute she remembered she had her shoes still shoved deep in her pockets. Retrieving one, the girl immediately began attacking the narrow slit to freedom with the corner of its heel.

The fissure grew by the slightest degree, but at this point she wouldn't be out until some time next week. Her frustration mounted, Kagome felt around for anything she could use to pry the wood apart with. When nothing came to hand, she slipped the shoes back on, lay on her back and simply started kicking at the crack as hard as possible.

Progress was suddenly much faster, and the swollen timber grudgingly gave way. Light, both natural and artificial, flooded the muggy interior from without, bringing with it a refreshing gust of night air. The girl inhaled it gratefully.

She was free! With raw, trembling hands she forced away the splintered plywood and shingles. Squeezing first her head, then her shoulders through, the rest of her followed fairly easily.

The young woman at last crouched atop the roof of what appeared to be an empty residence. Almost immediately she realized she was nowhere close to home. The whole atmosphere felt wrong – excessively warm and humid for Tokyo – and the buildings she spied from the large hill were far too diminutive to pass for the skyscraper jungle she knew so well. On the other hand, Kagome _could_ smell the salt in the air, and decided she must be near the sea.

She crawled carefully over the broken shingles to the edge, seeking a way down; once again nothing immediately obliged the stranded girl's plight.

_'Of course, why should anything be easy; it isn't as though I _want _to make it out of here alive!'_

Kagome quietly chided her pessimism – she should be grateful to have gotten this far. Besides, she'd been in much tighter spots – but then, she'd always had Inuyasha to save her. However, she promptly countered, she'd managed to save him more than once as well – hadn't she? More importantly, who was to say he wasn't already nearby at this very moment? Obviously, he was searching for her and wouldn't stop until he'd found her – she at least knew that much: the guy was determined, and he cared for her deeply (or so she liked to believe).

Even as the teen pacified herself with such thoughts, a terrifyingly familiar sensation suddenly attacked her awareness. Kagome opened her mouth to scream, but somehow couldn't find the strength. She could feel the physical world slipping away _(not again!)_ into a black abyss. Her numb fingers lost purchase and the disoriented girl toppled helplessly from the two storey roof toward the pavement below.

_Feudal Japan…_

Shippo snuggled deeper into Kilala's soft pelt for warmth, sensing that morning had arrived, yet unwilling to rise before the sun. The little cat he currently employed as a pillow stirred at his movement and began purring. Mechanically, the fox child opened his drowsy eyes a slit in order to inspect the modest hut.

Everyone was where he'd last left them: Sango lay on the other side of Kirara while Miroku snored softly with his back against the opposite wall. Shippo sighed with mild relief. Though the scars of loosing his parents had mostly faded, the young demon still felt the nagging compulsion to keep tabs on his adopted family – especially as their lives were none too secure most of the time. While Inuyasha was around, however, he could allow himself to relax a little.

Inuyasha?

Shippo's eyes snapped back open. Where was Inuyasha – or Kagome for that matter? He'd expected both of them back by now; weren't they only supposed to have visited Kagome's time for a few hours before returning? The small boy thought it strange: Inuyasha was (as usual) in a hurry to retrieve Kagome and look for jewel shards, and he didn't like to linger in the future.

_'Humph, just like that Inuyasha to hog Kagome all to himself!'_

Deciding he wasn't all that tired anymore, Shippo rose and crept quietly out of the Lady Kaede's hut, followed closely by Kirara.

Dawn slowly surfaced on the horizon, turning the sky rosy lavender. The two demons skirted the edge of the forest until they came upon a familiar, dried up old well in the clearing. Perching himself on the ledge, Shippo gazed inquisitively downward. He turned to his companion.

"Where do you think they are, Kirara?"

The creature in question replied with a tiny mew.

"I wish they'd hurry up and get back," muttered the boy. Not for the first time he envied Inuyasha being able to come and go as he pleased from present to future. He assumed they must be getting along well (for a change) to stay alone together for so long, but what were they doing? Obviously _not _what Miroku liked to do when he was by himself with a girl – Kagome was too decent for that, while Inuyasha was too clueless. (Yeesh, even a kid like Shippo had more perception than _that_ guy; he could be denser than a swarm of Naraku's poison insects sometimes!)

No, they were probably busy enjoying all the wonderful things from Kagome's world: the wonderful fireworks, the wonderful food, the wonderful picture books, the wonderful candy… No fair! When would he ever get to experience that kind of fun?

"What a lucky dog," the young demon sighed to himself wistfully.

_Still in Tokyo…_

Inuyasha collapsed onto the hard hotel mattress, and was immediately engulfed in the scent of laundry detergent, starch, and (ugh) Deadpool. Coupled with the reek of ammonia, the entire room made the hanyou feel ill. He'd been running at top speed for an innumerable distance while piggy-backing a man nearly twice his size. Various parts of him still ached from being shot twice and run over – and he was tired! (Though he'd only admit it to himself.)

The mercenary was busy talking into the machine for communicating over long distances that Kagome sometimes used. Inuyasha still didn't see how conversation was supposed to help them find her; they were wasting time!

Presently, Wade hung up the phone and leaned pensively against the wall.

"So what did you find out," Inuyasha asked the ceiling.

"Okay, you're not gonna like this, but Tri-Mega may or may not be a real company – which in any case would hypothetically exist somewhere out in Texas. I've got Weasel looking into it."

The weary half-demon sat up with a glare, "Are you saying we're at another dead end?" He growled "So far you've been about as much help to me as a dead horse! I'll have to do everything myself if I ever want to find Kagome; I should've let that old geezer finish you off!"

"Careful now," warned his bulky companion, "you wouldn't want to say things you'd regret later." He absently fiddled with one of his ninja swords as he spoke.

"Feh," sneered Inuyasha.

"Look, you're obviously tired and suffering extreme brain damage from when that car plowed you down and your melon cracked the pavement – at least that's what I'm assuming. So why don't you take a nap while I take care of all the boring old work of actually _finding_ our boy Sue, and I'll wake you up if I need anything smashed."

"You mean like your face, you jackass!" A sorely tested Inuyasha rose to his full height over the seated merc.

Wade appeared to grin beneath his red and black mask, "If that's how you feel about it, Fido, then time for Deadpool's obedience class 101!" Enthusiastically, the mercenary leapt to his feet, whipping out a long blade in the same fluid movement.

"Heh, no need to even dirty the Tetsusaiga on the likes of you," smirked the youth, ducking under Deadpool's swing. "Iron Reaver…!"

The attack hit Wade in the chest who immediately grabbed the rosary around his assailant's neck as he was thrown backwards.

"_Urrk_," choked Inuyasha as the pair collapsed in a dog pile.

"Looks like you and Suzy have the same taste in jewelry as you do in women," snorted the heavier of the two, pinning the other's arms behind him while shoving a knee into the small of the hanyou's back. "How can you be entirely sure Kagome didn't go with him willingly – maybe she was planning it all along?" He proceeded to slam Inu's silver head against the wooden night stand, "Sure he's old and crusty, but he's also loaded; what do you have to offer her accept the doghouse that Timmy built you?"

Using the rosary beads as a choke chain, Deadpool pulled the boy's head back to look at him while still pinning his arms. "Now it's time for lesson one: no getting up on the bed!"

Utterly pissed, Inuyasha suddenly tore free from the mercenary's grasp. The next thing Wade knew, a clawed hand reached back and grabbed him none too gently around the face; the merc-with-the-mouth was airborne. Fortunately, the wall across the room broke his momentary flight.

"That's it, I've had all I can take from you," snarled the rabid-looking dog demon, "I'm sendin' you to hell now!" With that, he unsheathed the famous sword.

The monstrous Tetsusaiga almost reached the opposite wall of the cramped hotel room, coming mere inches from Deadpool's misshapen nose.

"Whew! Talk about your overcompensations," remarked Wade.

Inuyasha didn't answer, however, but arched the sword upward as a vortex of wind wound itself around the massive blade. Deadpool, who was by no means an expert on demonic swords, nevertheless took little time to realize he was in deep doo-doo.

The next few moments were pure mayhem. Inuyasha shouted "_Wind Scar_" while, simultaneously, Wade howled manically, lobbing a grenade; unbeknownst to either, however, a third person had suddenly appeared in the room commanding both to halt – unfortunately, not before it was too late.

The explosion was tremendous, hurling human and hanyou high into the air. _Kersplash_! The half-demon's head collided against a rock hard surface; he was under water. Floundering to the top, the boy climbed the small set of steps only to collapse once again onto the stony concrete. Inuyasha swore miserably as he was casually pelted by the flaming chunks of debris showering down around him.

Meanwhile, Wade was in the parking lot; he thanked his lucky stars he'd landed on a rag top, which had collapsed beneath him. He struggled to sit up, but found he couldn't move at all. Okey-dokey, he'd just have to give his healing factor a little more time to catch up. The merc briefly wondered where his dog demon companion had touched down – hopefully onto a nice bed of razor wire! '_Note to self: avoid business end of car bumper-sized sword in future,_' thought Wade.

"As soon as I can feel my extremities again, I'm gonna kick his – "

"You're lucky to still have any extremities, however, even that may be temporary," replied a cold feminine voice.

Wade started, rolling his eyes upward he beheld a woman glaring down at him with strangely pearly and translucent skin.

"Anything I can do for you, angel," asked a dazed Wade, trying to smile.

The woman smirked disdainfully, "Yes, you can hand over the beads – and then you can perish!"

_- 'Weasel',for anyone who doesn't know, is Deadpool's friend and created a lot of the merc's weapons and gadgets. _


	7. Chapter 7

_Well, I'm finally back for anyone who cares, and hopefully that's a few. Some things get explained in this chapter about the nature of the prayer beads; I think it gets pretty interesting, but I'm kind of biased. For now we left off with Deadpool, Inu and a weird new person after Inuyasha exploded the hotel room..._

"A-buh?" grunted Wade, incredulously.

The dainty woman lifted the immobilized man as casually as if he were a rag doll and flung him to the pavement.

"_Ouch_," protested Deadpool, "I think I just landed on one of my sais!"

"An explosion like that would have obliterated any normal human being," the woman's glittery skin seemed to glow faintly in the lamp light like polished stone while she stood over Wade's broken body, "as I suspected, the stones are protecting your life." She studied his neck for the treasure she sought, but to no avail.

"Where _are_ they?" She bent down and began tearing away the shreds of clothing that remained around his chest and neck.

"Uh, it's not that I don't go for the psychotic and freakishly strong dominatrix-type, but I'm kind of dead from the neck down at the moment," Wade commented, observing her progress, "call me in a couple days, though, and I promise the wildest ride of you life…"

"Enough of this; if you don't have them, who does," yelled the woman lifting the mercenary by his throat and shaking him coercively, "how about the other one with you?"

"Who exactly are you looking for," said a smirking voice from behind her. Inuyasha held up the transformed Tetsusaiga, "would it be me?"

"Demon," muttered she as though this were an obscenity. Dropping the larger man, she sped toward the sword wielding youth with (he noticed) at least as much velocity as that wimpy wolf, Kouga had. He swung the blade, however, not fast enough. The woman neatly evaded his attack, sending a powerful kick to the half breed's stomach. Inuyasha was thrown back into a cinderblock wall.

Growling oaths, the boy sat up heavily from the rubble and marked the female's advance as she came at him again. He was shocked to smell no demonic aura radiating from her – in fact he could detect no scent at all! No matter, he didn't need any dark energy save his own to trigger the Wind Scar.

With growing effort, Inuyasha mustered his overtaxed _youki_ once again and took aim. The woman paused in mid stride, frowning thoughtfully at him. She watched calmly, but made no move as he collected power around his massive sword. The young man suddenly hesitated without entirely knowing why.

"Save your energy," she spoke abruptly, "I can see you don't have what I'm after – and at any rate – I can't be killed by such a weapon."

"Just who'n the hell are you," demanded the silver haired youth, still holding Tetsusaiga aloft.

The other looked back over her shoulder and continued as if she hadn't heard, "Furthermore, I'd rather you not level this entire inn with your weapon – especially after I took such pains to contain the first blast you fools caused."

Inuyasha glanced at the hotel for the first time; it was true that the Tetsusaiga's attack should have done much more structural damage than was actually caused. Instead the destruction seemed to be concentrated within Deadpool's room alone. Panicked people roused by the tumult, nevertheless, were rapidly issuing from the building like ants from a trodden bed.

A large crowd was forming around the combatants, with the majority keeping a safe distance from the monstrous sword and its wielder. A few people hovered around Deadpool, apparently assuming him to be a mangled victim; indeed, his unmasked face and exposed skin was severely scarred.

Moments later, shrill sirens pierced the early morning air and rang in the hanyou's acute ears. Inuyasha felt a slight urge to howl.

"The authorities," announced the pearly-complexioned woman to the half-demon, "I'm not finished with you yet." Immediately, she flew to Deadpool and with his large form draped like a sacrificial animal around her shoulders, sped from the scene and the astounded onlookers.

Hey wait, blast it," shouted Inuyasha, charging after her, "just where do you think you're goin' with the mercenary?"

_Suzuki_

The girl was still alive, a fact that probably would have turned out quite the opposite if she hadn't managed to land in a clump of hedges near the building's entrance. Suzuki examined her still form laid out on the table like some damaged household item awaiting repair. One of her legs jutted out at an unnatural angle, her clothing was torn and her exposed skin lacerated from twigs and branches.

Checking her pulse, which was somewhat faint and erratic, he could just make out her shallow breathing. As far as he could tell she might have severe head trauma – might even be dying, probably would die if she didn't receive medical attention soon.

He cursed himself once again for rashly striking the girl when he was aware of her reckless antics. The beads were not happy with him either; he could feel a dull sting like jolts of electricity coursing through his body.

At last he possesed what he'd searched so long for. According to the old story, his ancestor, a priest named Nibori, received an extraordinary gift – some said from God Himself or some lesser deity – the same object now around his neck. Nibori, as it was passed down in Suzuki's family, became enlightened through meditation on the prayer beads, they also protected him from peril and secured his youth. With his increased spiritual powers, the priest drove out countless demons and earned many followers.

However, it was believed that somewhere along the way his divine necklace became tainted. Gradually Nibori's benign nature transformed into something greedy and self-serving; his followers no longer devoted themselves eagerly, but with weary oppression. The once holy man seemingly slipped into madness, accusing the pearly beads of corrupting him, yet refusing to part with them until one day when, from a high cliff, he cast himself and them into the sea. His remains were never recovered.

Suzuki's grandmother, likewise, always claimed that the prayer beads had been lost forever because the deities had destroyed them for their corruption. How they'd been tainted was still a disputable matter: one version of the story claimed the priest himself defiled the artifact through his own carnal desires, or rather his new found power turned him into a monster. However, the account his grandmother always preferred alleged that it was, in fact a demonic power that possessed the beads and drove Nibori to his death.

Suzuki no longer believed such stories after he reached about nine – not until some time after his thirtieth birthday when the dreams first began haunting him. The voice which instructed him to take the broken girl lying nearby had spoken in his sleep many times over the years: leading him, dropping hints, pressing him to search. The beads had chosen him, they were his legacy, and with them he would alter civilization forever.

The sixty year old man now turned his thoughts back to the child he'd been gazing at blindly throughout his ruminations. After again checking her feeble pulse, he at last came to a decision.

A familiar voice in his head affirmed him: _Finish it now, while she still has a soul left! _

Taro Suzuki assented.

_Tokyo_

"When I first felt the surge of power leave those beads, I followed it's signature to where the two of you were just making your getaway. I knew a struggle had taken place, and (since the pair of you remained) you were probably the losers. Nevertheless, I assumed you would pursue the possessor, so I followed you."

The three occupied the roof of an office building, that overlooked people making their ways to work, school and otherwise beginning their respective morning.

"So you're saying that you're the guardian of these enchanted prayer beads and you've been tracking us since Suzuki first ran off with them," asked Inuyasha suspiciously.

"Correct," replied 'Gina' the Guardian.

"Then how come I felt a demonic power when the old fart used them against Deadpool, but you don't give off any dark energy –or even a scent?"

"The power you sensed," explained the unnatural woman, "is from the demon whose soul now inhabits the beads. The demon was cunning enough to bind his soul to the necklace's magic before the priest who wore them could successfully exercise him; once that happened, the balance of power was overthrown and the rosary's original holy state was corrupted by the creature's malice. I myself am the result of that power struggle."

"What do you mean," said the hanyou.

"I am an entity; when the demon usurped the beads' power, the purity within them was cast out – thus forming me. I was responsible for preventing the monster's initial plan for vengeance, however," the maiden's face took on a distant expression, "I failed to follow through with its destruction."

Inuyasha frowned, "an 'entity', huh?"

"Like an astral form; you're just a psychic projection," offered an image induced Wade who slumped against the parapet while paying homage to the Village People in his current biker attire and handlebar mustache.

"More or less," agreed the woman.

The half-demon considered for a moment, "I get it; like an illusion?" Immediately, he thought of Shippo's fox-magic: how it appeared real when it actually wasn't.

"I've got a question," the merc again spoke up, "if you didn't think we had the beads in the first place, then why'd you rough me up and practically peel me like a banana the way you did?"

She scrutinized him with a frown, "To be honest, I though I'd made a mistake after I saw you'd survived that sword's blast. Any ordinary man would have been blown to pieces, so I assumed you must be protected by their powers."

"Oh, is that the only reason," Wade was visibly disappointed.

"Great, another pervert," muttered Inuyasha.

"I don't want to hear anything from you, Benji; I haven't forgotten how you tried to waste me!"

"I was holding back," the boy sneered, "believe me, if I'd wanted to waste you I _would_ have."

"The same goes for me," retorted Deadpool, struggling to stand for the first time since his close encounter with Tetsusaiga's trade mark attack, "Gee, it's a good thing we have such a mutual fondness for one another, isn't it?"

The woman with the glittering skin watched in wonder as Wilson tottered about, trying to regain his bearings. "I can understand how the dog demon would recover fairly quickly from any injuries, but you're merely human; how are you still alive?"

Wade turned to look at her, and for a moment lost his balance. Tumbling forward, the image inducer on his belt hit against the graveled rooftop and flickered off. The man's mask was gone as well as the majority of his shirt, revealing a head and torso composed entirely of hideous scar tissue that was clearly not caused by the explosion.

The terrible specter slowly drew himself back up to full height. "Who says I'm either human _or_ alive," he rasped in a disturbing chortle, "Can't you see I'm just as much a monster as the one living in those rosary beads?" With a final grimace, he turned his terrible countenance away from them, to the indifferent city below.

An uneasy pause followed. Eventually, Inuyasha approached Gina, "Now I have a couple of questions: namely, why does he want Kagome and do you have any idea where he is right now?"

"Every time power goes out from the beads I feel it,"she answered, "from that I can judge their approximate distance if not their exact location. In fact, around the time I came upon the two of you battling it out, I felt it a second time rather strongly."

"So that means we're close," the young half-demon perked up.

The Guardian crossed her arms thoughtfully, "not necessarily; it may only have been strong because the beads are gaining power – which I'd expect at this point. As for your lover," (the half-demon's face went as red as his kimono at this) "I can only assume she possess a very potent spirit that the stones can readily feed from. However, I am certain they must still be somewhere on the islands, or I would have returned to a state of dormancy as I am connected to the mystical properties of the stones."

"Then we'd better get moving before that changes; we don't know how much time we have."

"You have until the creature's soul gains enough power to leave the prayer beads and inhabit the current wearer's body – after gaining a physical body he will become more dangerous than ever," she informed him.

Inuyasha turned toward Deadpool who remained with his back to them, still silently surveying the urban sprawl, "So Wade, are you coming or what? I could use a decoy to keep that Demon busy while I rescue Kagome, and you might prove fairly useful after all!"

At his remark, the man in question leisurely faced the flushed hanyou, and studied him blankly. Taken aback, Inuyasha could suddenly trace Wade Wilson's distorted psyche over the craggy terrain of the other's misshapen features. Horror shrouded the mercenary's ghastly visage – obviously death and madness had been his constant companions for quite some time.

For several moments he continued to vacuously ponder the white haired youth the way a cow does a new gate before he finally seemed to regain some cognizance. Amacabre smile split his face, "Why not, I doubt if there's anything that pansy demon could do to me that bigger and badder sons-of-bitches haven't already done." He guffawed long and bitterly, as though the butt of some cosmic joke, and after a minute of searching the compartments of his belt, found a new mask which he quickly donned.

The boy stared uncertainly at the lunatic for a couple moments before addressing the Guardian once again, "Right. If you have any idea where that guy with those beads are, then take us there now!"

The woman gave him a dark look, "I have no way of knowing that you won't attempt to take them once I do lead you to him."

"_I don't give a damn about that worthless trinket_," flared Inuyasha, "All I care about is finding Kagome – er – _and she's not my lover, okay_!"

"What are you so worried about anyway, you can hurt us a lot easier than we can hurt you," Deadpool pointed out.

"Bah! I already have one string of beads I'd like to get rid of," groused Inuyasha, pointing at his chest.

"Demonic entities, immortality: been there, done that," yawned Wade, "as long as I can still juggle Ginsu Knives relatively free of consequences I don't really care."

"And even if you don't lead us we'll still find the creep ourselves, lady," declared the hanyou with finality. "So what'll it be, huh?"

The Guardian looked placidly from one to the other. She opened her mouth to reply, but stopped as an expression of pain and shock shuddered over her features.

"What," said the men in unison.

"He's using them again," she answered with effort, "I can feel the energy very strongly; at this rate the soul in the beads will soon have enough strength to possess a host body."

"Then what'll happen," asked Wade, picking out a stray piece of shrapnel from his chest.

The woman gazed at both of them evenly, "He'll take all the power from the rosary with him, and I will fade away to nothing."

"And Kagome," inquired Inuyasha.

She looked at him pityingly, "the girl will be killed."


	8. Chapter 8

_I thought I was never going to finish this chapter; it's been the most difficult one yet! As far as I can tell, ch.9 will finish every thing up, but I could be wrong._

_Somewhere in the Tennessee Hills…_

The former Swami Fitzgibbon wandered dreamily through the dense mountain forests as he'd been doing for many hours now. He paid no attention to the path or the direction he was taking, didn't really think of anything at all; he just needed to clear his mind. Walking seemed the only thing to do after all that had happened recently: he no longer had a flock to lead or a spirit guide to follow. He had nothing left to loose, and so he pressed on.

Presently, the bedraggled man came to a creek where he stopped and drank copiously. After he'd finished he collapsed onto the bank, unable to take another step, and wearily assumed a meditative position. The sun blazed overhead in the mid afternoon sky, gradually baking his already leathery Irish skin a deep brick color.

For at least an hour he remained motionless, refusing to move before he had an answer. Everything around him, all his senses, quietly faded into white.

Enlightenment struck like a bolt of lightning. Fitzgibbon could not have said how long he'd been beside the creek – to him it might have been four minutes or twenty four hours. The only thing he knew afterward was that he'd experienced a vivid dream – not a dream, a vision – which had disclosed everything to him.

Suddenly, he knew exactly where he needed to be, and what he must do. The simple rustic was completely certain his entire life had prepared him for this moment; he'd never been surer of anything. Like sunlight filling a dungeon, Fitzgibbon was overwhelmed by destiny's radiance.

Bolting back up on legs shaky with adrenaline, the guru lurched back the way he'd come. He didn't yet know how he would reach his destination, however he trusted the hand of fate would guide him.

_Somewhere on the Island of Okinawa…_

Another balmy tropical morning dawned on a deserted beach in the midst of the mountainous Ryukyu archipelago. Disregarding the modern architecture or occasional resort that sporadically dotted the hilly countryside – the little haven seemed almost to exist outside of time. The fragile illusion was instantly shattered when an unlikely trio abruptly materialized onto the scene in _Star Trek_–ish fashion.

"Here," inquired the masked, weapon-bedecked figure. The gilded female to his right nodded in assent as the third (a white-haired boy with dog ears) dropped down on all fours and began sniffing the sand.

"Huh, my teleportation device _does_ have further range than before," marveled Wade. "Weasel actually did something right; now I kind of feel bad about anchoring all those water mines to the bottom of his swimming pool."

"Wilson, who needs enemies with a friend like you," asked Gina.

The two hurried to catch up with Inuyasha who was making his way quickly down the beach.

The Guardian promptly took the lead, scanning the nearby buildings as they passed. She could feel how close they were; the powerful force was almost unbearable.

"Up there," she gasped suddenly, pointing in the direction of a tall hill set back among a cluster of shops and other public buildings. Energy radiated from one structure in particular – what was apparently a dilapidated inn– like the heat from an inferno.

She saw that her assumption had been correct; the young woman was the perfect candidate for Suzuki's vile purposes. The evil spirit was no fool for choosing such a massive soul to draw sustenance from, but Gina could sense the girl's overtaxed life force faltering. She guessed that something quite traumatic must have happened to Kagome beforehand for Suzuki to be so forcefully sucking out what fading vitality the child had left. She turned grimly to her male companions, "We don't have any time to loose!"

"_Ka-go-meee_!" yelled the harried half-demon across the empty beach. He geared up, intending to sprint the rest of the way there with Tetsusaiga drawn before a thick arm jutted across his path. Inuyasha looked up at Deadpool as if the other had just submitted a death wish to him.

The over eager merc, however, appeared not to notice any imminent danger, "Yeah, yeah, let's just skip this boring part so we can hurry up and get to the blood-bath," he offered, catching the youth by one of his side locks as Gina intuitively took Wade's other arm. Before the silver headed boy could protest, the three vanished from sight, via Deadpool's preferred travel meathod, to rematerialize on the threshold of their long awaited destination at last.

_Kagome…_

Kagome felt a strange ethereal sensation much like floating. In her trancelike state, she could see nothing but whiteness and hear only a soft noise like snow from a broken TV set or the sound made by the ocean. She didn't particularly feel afraid; however she wasn't entirely at ease either.

The girl hopelessly struggled to rouse herself. Simply remembering the events that lead to her present state was a great effort – she'd been with Inuyasha, but somehow they'd been separated. Now she found herself sinking numbly into a colorless oblivion.

She could sense her own death approaching. For some reason, though, Kagome didn't feel as distressed as she would have expected at the prospect. Most likely her disjointed mind was just unable to come to grips with the hideous idea, but she knew it was more than that: at the same time, she still held out hope that her beloved hanyou would show up to save her in the end as he always did.

The city girl had to smile inwardly at her own naivety as a new, if obvious, thought occurred to her. Barely civilized Inuyasha might be completely in his element when it came to slashing away at demons and other monsters, but (lacking as he was in any knowledge of modern technology) it would take more than instincts and brute strength for him to track her in this era. Furthermore, he didn't have any of their usual friends with him to bounce ideas off of.

Kagome, who'd always lead a charmed life, logically understood how doubtful her prospects of rescue were, nevertheless, her faith in Inuyasha was proven and strong – and the only thing she had left. She clung stubbornly to hope even as she clung to her lingering existence.

_'Just maybe…'_

_Suzuki…_

The feeling was as frightening as it was exhilarating: he could gage the rate at which his power increased even as he felt his victim weaken. Suzuki had first feared she'd die before the transformation was complete, but it appeared her spirit was almost boundless. He knew the point of the bead's full capacity would soon be reached, and then he'd be unstoppable.

Something, however, didn't quite sit well with him; he felt as if he was missing a crucial piece of the puzzle. The uneasiness had sat like a brick in his stomach since he'd first donned his enchanted necklace, however, he'd been so occupied in the last twelve hours or so that he hadn't had a chance to reflect. Suzuki now stood at the greatest threshold of his life, but something held him back.

He looked again at the teenage girl whose life he was rapidly draining, then down at the faintly glowing stones around his neck. What would happen, he wondered, if instead of finishing his metamorphosis he simply stopped, took the rosary off and walked away? Was such a thing possible at this point? The older man hesitated slightly.

No sooner had Taro contemplated the prospect than the decision was swiftly snatched from his grasp. Suzuki felt his body seize with intense pain. The once dimly glowing beads now burned through his shirt, searing his flesh. His muscles locked in place; he could do nothing but cry out in shock and agony.

_ Aren't stopping now are you? _ asked a dreadful voice.

In an instant, the little man fully grasped how far in over his head he really was. Why did he ever think he could harness the power of such a malevolent creation, when it was obvious these beads had no master? Manipulate them – the notion suddenly seemed madness.

"N-no," he stammered as, obediently, he resumed pulling out Kagome's soul. He dared ask no questions, though he desperately wanted to know what would become of him once he finished his grim task. Was he doomed to be a slave to a hunk of jewelry just like that ugly little monster from _The Lord of the Rings –_ or would he even have any use to his captor after this final transfer?

Suzuki shuddered as he felt the last of the young girl's life departing – painfully aware of the rosary enclosing his throat like a millstone. Strange (he thought warily) he hadn't expected omni potency to feel so suffocating.

Absorbed in such thoughts, he didn't immediately notice the door blow off its hinges – for moments later, his mind became a quickly digested morsel for a being higher up on the psychic food chain.

_Inuyasha and Deadpool…_

"Oh Su-zeee, you got some 'splainin' ta doo!"

A massive silhouette filled the entryway, blocking most of the morning light attempting to stream into the sunless establishment. Suddenly a loud "_cha-chunk_" echoed through the dimness, and the barrel of a large gun materialized toward the older man. A shot intended to take Suzuki's head off bust forth, immediately followed by an angry interjection from behind.

"_Hey, be careful, you maniac!_"

Deadpool found himself shoved forcefully aside, almost crashing through the adjacent wall. The white head of the incoming Inuyasha stood out strikingly in the pale light as he glanced around sharply.

Tetsusaiga brandished, the youthful half-blood instantly noticed Kagome lying pale and lifeless on a tabletop against the opposite wall; the geezer was nowhere to be seen, nonetheless, a reeking demonic presence filled the room.

Inuyasha moved toward the girl; another deafening round of bullets and a heavy light fixture (along with half the ceiling) crashing down on his head, however, stopped his progress. Knocking away debris, the dog demon felt a shaft bury itself painfully into his shoulder while his crazed cohort leapt onto the boy's back, pushing the sai further into his flesh with the weight of the other man's body.

"Don't – do – that – again," ground the mercenary into his ear.

"You ugly bastard," growled Inuyasha.

Deadpool was flung off and landed nimbly in front of the hanyou, "Hey, I may be ugly, and I may be a bastard, but…" he paused, "what was the third thing you said?"

Ignoring the idiot, the youth from the feudal era hurried over to Kagome's side, at once checking that no stray slug had harmed her. The marks on her body looked as if she'd been clawed and beaten – had he…? Inuyasha looked savagely around for the girl's abductor.

"He disappeared," said Wade, guessing the other's thoughts, then added: "and so did Gina."

The boy turned sharply, his amber eyes meeting Deadpool's hooded ones. Was the merc implying what he thought he was? The other man's expression was unreadable. With rising dread, Inuyasha looked back down at the battered priestess in his arms. Her peacefully resigned expression opposing every emotion that churned inside him at the moment.

Almost reluctantly, the half-demon pulled Kagome into his embrace, inhaling her scent. Once again, he could smell her loud perfume and odors associated with the other products she used mingling with her own natural aroma – but it was yet another smell that threatened to rip apart his innards. There was no mistaking the scent that wrapped her in its invisible shroud; Kagome was – dead.

_'Dead. Dead?' _

The word echoed repeatedly in his mind. No, he had to be mistaken; she might be very weak, but she was certainly alive. Kagome's soul was huge – it couldn't have been completely sucked out in such a brief time. Somewhere inside her was a tiny spark fighting for life – he was sure of it!

Gingerly scooping her up, he marched resolutely toward the exit with his fragile bundle. Deadpool stepped cautiously out of the way, but called after him.

"Where are you going?"

"I'm taking Kagome back to my time so Kaede can help her!"

"Um, how are you going to do that?"

Inuyasha had forgotten they were in the Ryukyus, "then you take us back," he demanded, indicating Wade's teleportation unit.

Deadpool hesitated and looked knowingly at the limp girl, he grasped about for something tactful to say to the very distraught, unsteady, superhuman 'teenager' with the big sword.

"She's" he began, and then paused as the boy watched him intensely, "…dead." Somehow the words came out all wrong, but didn't prevent Wade from plunging on, "Wouldn't it be better if we just avenged her – Suzuki could be getting away at this very minute, and we'll loose him!"

The expression on the hanyou's features alternated between rage and desperation. Wade Wilson could utterly appreciate the emotional quandary playing out before him: to cling to a futile hope or simply surrender to primal bloodlust. Visions of the murdered Mercedes and T-Ray popped unbidden into his mind. He suddenly imagined himself with Terry in the same situation – which would he now choose? The merc shuddered as the vile scenario hit home; he honestly couldn't answer that question.

But before Inuyasha could make his own dreadful decision, fate again abruptly called the shot.

A malevolent chortle filled the crumbling inn. The half-demon's arms tightened protectively around Kagome's body as Deadpool leveled his Uzi.

"You wanted to see me," sneered Suzuki's disembodied voice, "I'm more than happy to accommodate your wishes – you arrived just in time for my big debut." A loathsome figure presently materialized, grinning hellishly at them; "after a thousand years, I'm finally back among the living!"

…………

_Whew, okay then! At the time that I envision this story taking place, which is some time in the late nineties (why? Well, mainly because I like and am more familiar with the DP of that time, and it also coincides closely with the time the Inuyasha manga first came out) DP remembers having been married to a woman named Mercedes, who was killed by the mercenary known as T-Ray. Where exactly all of that information currently stands, I'm not quite sure as a lot has happened in the series that I haven't kept up with. If anyone else knows, feel free to inform me. _


	9. Chapter 9

1_One more difficult chapter down! Thanks, Merc25, for the info – that's what I suspected, but I just wasn't sure if it still stood – now I know. Fortunately, it doesn't really matter in this story._

_Well, you may have noticed (if you've been following the story) that I've changed the rating. I thought things got a little violent in this next part for what it was. Still, I tried not to get too gratuitous with it! _

_The Showdown…_

"You…you…" Inuyasha choked on his words, unable to find anything vile enough to describe the monster in front of him. His lips pulled back in a horrendous snarl that could have daunted even Sesshomaru – almost.

The visage once owned by Taro Suzuki crinkled into a grotesquely inhuman leer, "Yes, it is I – better than ever now that I'm no longer enslaved inside this worthless knick-knack," the demon-man made to yank the rosary off his neck, however, the string refused to give. Snarling irritably, the newly made hanyou instead wrenched it over his head and slung it away with the relish of an escaped convict discarding his shackles.

Fathomless black eyes immediately took in the waxy face enfolded in the crook of Inuyasha's arm, with offhanded approval, "and to think, her soul was just the right size. She very promptly expired right at the end of her usefulness and not a moment sooner – such a considerate girl."

The dog demon was airborne before the last syllable dropped from Demon-Suzuki's mouth, Tetsusaiga arched back for annihilation. The attack was as swift as it was devastating; the modest building exploded like dynamite, sending terrified civilians within a half mile radius fleeing for cover.

Even before the wreckage completely cleared, Inuyasha knew he'd missed. The Demon-Suzuki was gone, but the sickening demonic aura told him it wasn't far as he grimly braced himself for an attack. He chanced a look over his shoulder, wanting complete certainty that Kagome's body hadn't been damaged.

To his sudden horror he found both she and Deadpool gone.

"Kag – _huah_," the silver-haired demon was suddenly blasted backward with such concussive force as to be hurled off the hillside toward the beach, hitting seemingly _every_ jagged rock on the way down.

He hit the packed sand face first with a heavy slap. His whole body was paralyzed as before; Tetsusaiga – where was his sword? Inuyasha struggled with every fiber of his will to break the power over himself even as the unnatural Suzuki's shadow engulfed him. Immediately, he felt the area where it cast become deathly cold as he gasped for breath.

"Yes," sighed the monster as though answering an inquiry from Inuyasha, "having a physical body again – even if it belongs to a frail mortal whose life was already half over – is fifty times better than living inside those wretched beads! You'd have no idea unless you yourself had been exorcized and forced into a tiny prison to rot for a thousand years! But you see I finally did get my retribution on that priest through his pathetic descendant. They say that revenge is a dish best served cold; I doubt a more savory helping was ever dished out then."

Were he able to move, the dog demon would have shivered within the icy darkness enveloping him – as it were, his sharp eyes darted in every direction to locate where Tetsusaiga had slipped from his limp grasp.

Before he could even get a feel for his surroundings, however, a black loafer swiftly and forcefully connected with his face, sending the young man sprawling several feet away. Inuyasha growled in pain and rage, but could do nothing.

The abomination that loomed over him laughed shortly, "Well, no need to let all that untapped power go to waste; though _youkai_ souls are exceptionally stubborn to harvest – a mere half-demon like you should go a bit more easily yet still provide a nice kick."

The silvery haired youth received a withering dose of what Kagome must have endured only minutes earlier – the thought alone hurled him into an inferno of rage and grief. He would _kill_ this filthy demon if it took his final breath. Even as the power siphoned steadily out of him he struggled with all his might to rise.

"Resist harder," taunted the Creature, lifting its arms loftily over its head, "that only makes my work easier!"

The ghoulishly laughing Suzuki could taste victory. "Confucius say: never raise hand to angry hanyou; it leave groin exposed,"a familiar voice behind him sagely admonished.

Wheeling around, the fiend was assaulted with a spray of pebble-sized explosives before a katana slit its way assuredly from his crotch up to his collarbone in one deadly motion.

The clearing smoke exposed the merc poised with sword drawn, ready to take off Suzuki's head. Dodging, the demon man seized Wilson's throat from behind so swiftly that the other barely had time to register the action.

"Do you think you could actually make a mark on me unless I allowed it," sneered Suzuki's host, pressing hard enough to sever a normal man's wind pipe, "I can't be killed by your feeble weapons – the power of the beads have given me invulnerability; I'm immortal!"

"Is that peaches-n-cream-scented hand moisturizer you're wearing," Deadpool would have replied if his air passage had permitted. As it were, the mercenary found himself squirming helplessly in a death grip while growing more lightheaded by the second. Just when the blackness was about to take over, an inexplicable tremor shook the ground and ever so slightly loosened the hold on his jugular. The deep thrum continued to pulsate through the heavy atmosphere like the base from a gigantic car stereo.

Sensing the change, Demon-Suzuki glanced sharply in the direction of the fallen dog hanyou only to suck in with surprise. Not only was the wild-haired weakling standing, but something was elementally different about him – there was no trace of humanity left – just demon. The old man swore in annoyance, not in any mood to deal with this latest nuisance.

Without hesitation, the transformed Inuyasha charged madly at the possessed man – murder in his red eyes. He leapt high into the air, his claws leveled for annihilation.

The target warded off his assailant with relative ease by launching the unfortunate mercenary at his airborne foe.

"_Inu_ – little buddy," cried Wade, braced for the rapidly impending collision. Deftly, he maneuvered himself and pushed off on the berserk demon's chest, landing nimbly on the ground. Dropping down immediately afterward, Inuyasha knocked his comrade aside with a savage swipe of his claws. The enraged youth again dashed at Suzuki as the latter quietly stood and watched.

"Nice one, dog-boy, you just better not have rabies," muttered Deadpool, examining his slashed gut, "what gives! You outta your ever-lovin', Alpo munchin', butt-licking, toilet bowl slurpin' mind?"

At the same moment, Inuyasha reached his intended prey only to have Suzuki's fist rammed clean through his middle and out the other side. Even more disturbing, however, was the white-haired demon's hysterical laughter as he heedlessly continued slashing the other's face.

"Uh-huh, strike that question," Wade looked on momentarily spellbound. Suzuki now had the boy by the hair and was busily attempting to snap his neck while Inuyasha clawed his throat – neither seemed affected by pain. The dog demon, on the other hand, looked, by far, the worse for wear. While the "man" healed almost as quickly as the other could rip into his flesh, the great majority of blood soaking the sand belonged to the former hanyou.

A realization suddenly hit Deadpool: where in the name of General Pao's ghost was Inu's ridiculously large sword? The Mercenary scanned the beach until a dull glint caught his attention. Wedged between two rocks, a tarnished and battered metal shaft jutted hilt up, looking (Wilson thought) rather like a poor man's Excalibur. Wade ran over to pull the artifact out and studied it dubiously.

"Lemme guess, it only transforms for you and He-Man – it figures; rassum frassum Masters of the Universe crap!" Deadpool charged toward the pair of demons currently shredding one another to pieces. "Hey Inu; fetch, girl!" He hurled the sword like a javelin the rest of the way, and it landed squarely by the young man's foot. The well-intended projectile went unnoticed by the crazed Inuyasha who either didn't recognize his father's blade or (more likely) didn't care.

"I think I've quite had enough of this," said Suzuki irritably. Pulling his forearm from his opponent's mid-section he placed a hand on either side of the boy's head preparing to wrench it off.

Before he had a chance, however, _SKKLIKT!_

Demonic-Suzuki gaped momentarily at the blood-jetting stumps where his hands had been so abruptly liberated from their wrists.

"_I have the power!_" Deadpool, with katana raised over his head in a power stance, roared at the top of his lungs. He suddenly paused as he regarded the immortal man's murderous expression, "Oops, I think I might have pissed him off. Tee-hee!"

"No really, ya _think_," Grumbled a still fully-demon Inuyasha from where he lay in a growing puddle of his own blood, too weak to stand.

"Now I've _really_ had enough!" The monster raised his appendage-less arms over his head and blasted the merc full force. Wade was quick to dodge the shot; nevertheless, Suzuki's range was too large for Deadpool to avoid. The mercenary toppled unceremoniously on top of his gored companion.

"Shoulda taken the sword," muttered Wilson into Inuyasha's armpit.

Growling through his elongated fangs, the dog demon made a fist and, with his last ounce of strength, punched Deadpool in the temple.

"Since my powers are already at their full peak, and I'm so eager to be rid of you insects" the looming Demon-Suzuki informed them acridly, "I'm just going to kill you now instead of wasting time sucking out whatever minor potency you might have. I hope that's okay."

"No it isn't! Geez – is it me or are supervillians getting lazier? Now draw our deaths out for as long as possible like a good evil abomination!"

The possessed man smiled chillingly at the mercenary as energy crackled through him, "for you, I'll see what I can do."

_Carl Fitzgibbon…_

Fitzgibbon seized the familiar stones in his calloused fingers – he could scarcely believe what he was holding, certain he'd never see them again. His days as Goshie's Guru suddenly seemed like another lifetime. Things were different now; the supernatural force occupying the beads had departed, leaving only a dull strand of grayish rocks.

He could never have fathomed, less than ten hours ago, that he'd be whisked halfway around the world for a sole reason: to put a stop to the evil unleashed from his treasured rosary. Oddly enough, he felt quite calm and resigned to his situation.

"Okay, now what," his companion, a man led to him by providence, asked nervously.

The two stood amidst the charred remains of what must have once been a business. Signs of a struggle were apparent. Fitzgibbon's ally, meanwhile, loped to the edge of the steep drop-off and stared down in shock. He looked back pointing emphatically toward the beach, "Hey; th-there they are!"

Fitzgibbon joined the other at the precipice to descry the gory combat taking place on the shore below. Immediately Carl recognized the masked mercenary who'd robbed and brutalized him (fortunately he'd retained just enough residual strength from the prayer beads to heal fairly quickly). One glance at the lopsided struggle confirmed the worst: Suzuki's body was possessed. Moreover, the ex-swami had no idea how to defeat the now invulnerable monster.

"Well, _you're_ the one with the cosmic insight; go help them before that old guy in the Armani suit annihilates them," his new friend yelped urgently.

Before Fitzgibbon could reply an angry protest was barked at them in Japanese. Several police officers approached from the other direction, quickly closing the gap.

Carl was at a loss; instinctively he sought the reassurance of his old rosary, clasping it to his chest as something within him stirred unexpectedly. In a flash, the teacher knew where to go. "Not here," he informed the first man, "take us to the other side of the island – there's a shrine we have to find."

"But," objected the other and then, noticing the officers' raised guns, hastily obliged. The pair was gone in a sharp crack before any of the law enforcers could so much as register what exactly they'd witnessed.

_The Last Stand…_

Mercenary and dog demon felt the close range blast like an open flame incinerating each one's flesh. Helplessly, the pair writhed under the agonizing infliction for what seemed an immeasurable amount of time. The inhuman man showed no signs of relenting as he leered down at his fallen adversaries, "I hope this is drawn out enough for you, Mr. Deadpool."

"I've had worse _rope_ burns," the merc whimpered, "Besides, my dream has finally come true: I'm the world's largest slice of Canadian bacon!"

"I'll _kill_ you," the red-eyed Inuyasha rasped vaguely from somewhere beneath Wade's substantial mass.

"Still haven't run out of jokes yet, then maybe I need to usher in the final stage," drawled the demon-man, "I'm growing bored of your twaddle very quickly."

"My _what_," blurted Wade, "That language isn't very lady-like, Suzy!"

The dog demon pinned under Deadpool, meanwhile, continued his crazed and largely unintelligible rant at both of them in turn.

Gathering enough strength to instantly vaporize the pathetic pair, Suzuki didn't immediately notice the appearance of three others behind him. A lean bespectacled man with dark, tousled hair clutched the much taller man at his side who, likewise, cradled a slight teenaged girl in one arm like a sleeping toddler. Only a moment passed, however, before realization dawned and the monster jerked around to face its newest victims. Mild surprise prevented his instant annihilation of the intruding mortals.

Two of them he instantly recognized: the hairy wilderness man whom he'd been forced to endure for over three years and the dead maiden who'd only just granted his long awaited freedom. Abruptly his attention was caught by a rather disturbing sight; the girl had on that damnable rosary!

"Stop," ordered Fitzgibbon, "no more killing – you don't belong in that body!"

The former Suzuki pulled a sneer too hideous to be human. "Too bad you weren't satisfied to stay at your pathetic ashram; now you're going to die!"

A jolt of energy shot from the demon at the spiritual leader so quickly as to be almost imperceptible. Fitzgibbon had no time to react as the missile exploded over him and Kagome. Astonishingly, the interlopers were unaffected (with the exception that the smaller of the two men looked ready to pass out). The lethal plasma had seemingly been absorbed into the stones round the lifeless girl's neck and its destructive impact neutralized.

The monstrosity gazed on stunned; the first burgeoning of fear dawned in its soulless eyes. Suddenly, as though somehow awakened by his emotions, the deceased teenager's own orbs unaccountably shot open to glare at him from Fitzgibbon's arm.

"You can't be alive," roared Suzuki, "I know I killed you! Those beads are worthless; there's no power left in them anymore!"

"Put me down," stated the girl simply, not taking her eyes from the ranting demon. The teacher promptly obeyed as he and his companion cautiously backed away a few paces.

At a loss for words, Suzuki looked on horror-stricken as his seemingly resurrected victim stepped forward; "but – but _how_," he finally managed.

An enigmatic smile pulled at her small mouth, "Don't you recognize me? You should, I was the one that foiled your plans for revenge centuries earlier. However, it seems you weren't satisfied until you literally _claimed_ the life of Nibori's last living descendant."

Shock slowly changed to comprehension on the deceptively human face, and the old man chuckled deeply in spite of himself. "Isn't the irony delicious, though? He steals my life from me and I – in recompense – claim the body of his progeny: a fair enough tradeoff.

"As for you," the demon's expression immediately darkened again, " I don't know how you managed to survive since I took away all the power sustaining you when I moved into my new 'accommodations', but you made a grave mistake coming back here to face me. You and the absurd swami will regret your interference."

"Wrong! You do not have _all _the spiritual power from the rosary," corrected the young woman, "you missed a tiny part which is now intertwined with the last bit of this unfortunate girl's soul; Kagome and I are sustaining one another."

Now Suzuki laughed outright, "Stupid Guardian, you admit that you're barely alive! For a brief moment I actually thought you might pose some sort of threat to me – but in that case…"

Even as the contemptible creature spoke, a torrent of explosions lit the beach and rained over those assorted on the shore.

_So there it is. I thought this would be the last chapter, but it just drew out too long, so I'm gonna say that the next will almost definitely wrap things up. Thanks again to everyone who's read and reviewed so far!_


	10. Chapter 10

_This is a short little chapter! Okay, when we last left off, Gina was sharing Kagome's body after having arrived out of nowhere with two men – one of them being Fitzgibbon. At this point DP and Inu are lying half-dead in a dog pile, and Suzi is about to finish everyone off …Right? Yeah, just checking. _

_Deadpool…_

Wilson's _everything_ hurt. He could hear someone saying words – what where they saying? Wade struggled to focus on the trio confronting "Suzifer" as he'd come to regard their inhuman tormenter, his addled brain on the brink of recognition. Somehow he knew that guy – and that other _big_ guy – and that other _girl_ guy from somewhere, but even before he could accurately determine their identities, more of the loud, painful explosions came to fry what was left of his poor skin.

"Mommy, make the bad ouchie-booms go away," moaned the merc.

The light and noise were almost unbearable and lasted for close to a minute before stopping completely. A low humming sound inside his ear informed Wade of possibly permanent hearing loss, but otherwise he seemed amazingly unharmed.

The buzzing in his ears became a muffled roar; it was (he realized) Suzuki screaming something behind him. Apparently the demon was as surprised as Deadpool that they were still alive – whaitaminute – _was_ Inuyasha still alive? The mercenary craned his neck painfully back to look into the dog-demon's face. Yep, still alive…alive and also biting his wrist, wonderful.

The world began to swim yet again and Wade willingly surrendered to the blackness.

_The Demon vs. the Guardian…_

"_How could you have blocked that?_" shrieked Suzuki, "_I'm more powerful than you!_"

The young girl smiled wanly, she and the demon alone remained standing as the two men who'd brought her here now crouched behind her. "Tsk. Even after all those centuries of brooding inside these stones you still don't fully grasp how they work. I am one with the beads; I can't be killed by my own power, and neither will I allow you to kill anyone else with it."

The dead man glared thoughtfully at her before a commotion from above caught his attention. On the cliff overlooking the beach, police and other alarmed onlookers were busily running for cover from the terrifying light display.

"In that case, it's about time that I tested the extent of your little trinket's abilities," another blast shot out from Suzuki's chest – this time toward the crowd above, "how far does your protective arm reach?"

Faster than human eyes could follow, the fatal discharge was redirected at the last moment – veering straight back and into the young woman's necklace in a blinding flash of light.

"Enough, you insufferable bitch," snarled the monster, witnessing with rage the ease in which the guardian countered his attack, "I'm taking what's left of your feeble powers away from you now!"

Suzuki leapt nimbly through the air aiming straight at Kagome's throat. Without expression, the girl awaited the decisive impact motionlessly. It never came. A large hand shot out, batting the small teenager aside as though she weighed less than a kitten; one fatal swipe later, Carl Fitzgibbon's decapitated body lay in a crumpled heap. Still cowering nearby on the ground, the second of the two men promptly vomited at the sight.

"Oh no," the priestess gasped as she jumped to her feet and hurried over to her slain comrade. Her eyes welled with tears as she looked on Goshi's fallen spiritual leader, berating her own failure to protect her charge. The guardian drew on the comfort that at least he'd died on his own terms. His soul was finally at rest.

Suzuki's vacant eyes suddenly filled with an evil light, "what's wrong, little Gina; can't you even block a simple attack to save your large, smelly friend? I'm surprised at your lack of alertness" he paused thoughtfully, "– or maybe you're just unable to fight back – could that be the problem?" He frowned at the girl with mock concern.

The young woman's silence as she knelt over the large form, told the demon-man everything he needed to know. His returning cackle chilled her to the marrow. "Have I found your weak link: as long as I'm not shooting any sparks you've got no line of defense, do you? Wonderful; and now that there's no one left to throw themselves in front of you," he smiled viciously at the other man currently crouched in a fetal position, "I believe I'll just take your bothersome little bit of potency and have this over with." He crossed casually over to her as he spoke; the gory stump where his hand had once been rose to finish her off physically.

Without warning Suzuki froze in mid-blow – body suddenly rigid, eyes wide with surprise. Protruding like a dead branch through a bag of leaves, a clawed hand burst from the man's recently healed middle decisively snapping his spine in two.

Inuyasha's red eyes gleamed contentedly at his own handiwork; his adversary collapsing paralyzed at the dog demon's feet. Quietly choking, the possessed man cursed into the sand.

Gina/Kagome looked both quizzically and gratefully at the feral youth, only half recognizing him; "I-Inuyasha?" The boy flinched away from her tentative touch – his low growl warning her not to come any closer. "I wish none of you had had to get involved in this," she continued sadly, "If only I had access to Kagome's sacred arrows I might end this much sooner, but none of that can be helped now. Perhaps there's another way though…"

The young demon's face sharply contorted with an instant snarl. She understood why as she watched him sink weakly to his knees; behind him, the indomitable Demon-Suzuki rose once again over his silver-haired foe, bleeding out the remainder of Inuyasha's life. The badly damaged dog demon was slowly dying.

"Stop," ordered the girl, tears trickling from her eyes, "we both know it's me you want – please don't kill him; I surrender!"

The other looked up sharply, gauging her reaction; it seemed her stupid teen host's sentimentality and naïve sense of honor had clouded the guardian's intelligence into thinking he could be reasoned with. Never the less, the little fool _did_ have a point.

"Very well," sneered Suzuki, instead hooking his forearm under the strand of beads and jerking Kagome roughly toward him, "I will help myself to the remainder of my rightful powers _before _I finish off your darling hanyou." He could feel the energy surge triumphantly into his veins – the monster instantaneously burst into peals of laughter at the ridiculous notion that the mightiest being on earth could ever be defeated by some weaklings and a school girl.

_Inuyasha…_

Sensations: screaming, the smell of blood, the snap of bone under his claws, and that girl (Kagome's) sad distant stare. Somewhere in the recesses of his demonic mind, he felt a deep sense of loss that he couldn't quite grasp threatening to overtake him. Nothing made any sense but the instinctual urge to attack – and he now found even that difficult to concentrate on.

Behind closed lids, Inuyasha gradually became aware of the smells and sounds surrounding him. One smell in particular quirked his nostrils, causing him to reflexively twitch – the action sending an immediate jolt of pain through his abdomen and a groan through his clenched teeth. The scent grew stronger, nearly overwhelming his emotions, a voice, someone touching his face. The demon reluctantly willed his eyes open.

All desire to kill and maim instantly faded as he beheld the girl he believed gone forever beaming joyfully down at him. Something warm dripped onto his forehead and he reached up until his grasping hand found Kagome's.

"Ka-Kagome, how…?"

"Gina, the Guardian, she saved my life, Inuyasha," the human stroked his blood-caked hair with her trembling free hand, "It's all over, just lay quiet."

The hanyou struggled to sit up, but Kagome's gentle push held him down, "Don't try to move; you're still too injured."

"But what happened?"

"That demon tried to steal what was left of the rosary's magical properties from me, but my soul was already bound with Gina's power so I purified him on contact. He's gone – along with Gina; all that's left now are these empty beads."

Inuyasha's eyes traveled as far as they could go in either direction until he finally spotted a pair of bodies lying nearby. "Suzuki and Swami Fitzgibbon," the girl solemnly explained after following his gaze. He noticed her eyes misting over again.

Abruptly, a man he'd never seen before sidled over to them and, yammering in a foreign tongue, nervously indicated the cliffs.

"We have to get out of here, Inuyasha, the police have arrived with reinforcements," explained Kagome.

"Keh, how's that gonna happen," grunted the boy, "I can't move, and Wade – wait – did he even survive?" He craned his silver head agonizingly to the side in an attempt to locate the deranged gun for hire.

"He's alive, but still unconscious," the teen supplied, "Mr. Weasel can teleport us all back home, though."

"What? '_Mr. Weasel_'?"

_Hours later at the Higurashi Shrine… _

The living room resembled a makeshift hospital in the middle of a battle zone with pallets, gauze and various medicines cluttering the floors and furniture. Kagome reclined on the couch under a blanket with a cup of tea – her mother had applied a damp rag to her forehead. Beside her nestled on the floor lay Inuyasha with his middle amply bandaged; Buyo purred loudly on top of the hanyou's head. Against the wall on another pallet, Deadpool polished off his third cup of Ramen Noodles while sitting with his friend Weasel.

Ms. Higurashi hurried about, tending to each patient in turn. She privately breathed a sigh of relief at having her daughter home again. Deep down she knew everything would turn out okay – but even the most understanding of parents sometimes questioned their children's judgement, the woman reassured herself: especially when Kagome showed up accompanied by a severely wounded Inuyasha and two other strange foreign men (one in equally bad shape as the half-demon).

From the kitchen, Grandfather scowled suspiciously at the new arrivals over his newspaper – considerably less convinced of Kagome's or her mother's or (for that matter) anyone else in the house's sanity.

"I can't stop thinking about what happened to that poor swami," said Kagome after a long silence at which the boy below her looked up with a start, "he really did have enlightenment – he knew to get Weasel, where to find me, what to do; he saved all our lives."

Inuyasha gazed back at her, distracted by other thoughts, "Where did Wade put you when that demon was attacking us? I thought you were dead – and then suddenly I couldn't find you anywhere."

The young woman detected an anguished note in his deceptively casual recollection of the incident, which tightened her heart strings. "I woke up in a nearby shrine," she glanced thoughtfully over at the dangerous-looking, weapon-draped man reclining on a _Hello Kitty _sleeping bag while contentedly picking a scab off his elbow and smiled, "he must have brought me there for safe-keeping."

"Humph," the hanyou grunted, absently scratching Buyo's head.

Kagome suddenly reached down and grasped his hand, startling him, "I knew you'd be able to find me – thank you, Inuyasha."

"Don't be ridiculous," he grumbled despite his beet red face, "besides, I didn't even do that much." He then added almost resentfully, "you seemed to have the situation under control without my help."

"Oh stop sulking, idiot. None of us had a chance against such a powerful demon without Gina's help. I'm just happy she found peace and that those beads no longer have any power to be used for evil again." She paused briefly, still holding his hand, "Even if not for everything else that happened, I'm also glad that we went on our date." She smirked teasingly, "I think I might be getting kind of fond of you, 'boyfriend'."

Kagome waited, but the only reaction she got was a sudden snore. She looked down only to find him lost in deep sleep. With a sympathetic smile, she carefully covered him with her own blanket, watching his rhythmic, peaceful breathing.

Finally she lay back, closing her own eyes. Her fingers twined around the now benign beads inside her pocket. The stones would serve as a reminder to the girl that, though he'd always arrive in time to save her, sometimes she needed to return the favor to Inuyasha.

_It ain't over yet – not quite! Stay tuned for the epilogue coming soon..._


	11. Epilogue

_The scene opens on Deadpool passed out in a La-Z-Boy with several empty beer cans strewn arond. A huge spotlight suddenly beams down on him, jolting him awake._

**DEADPOOL:** _Huh? Wha? Is it over yet...oh yeah I forgot._ (Stretches and yawns loudly)_ So you've read this far - well good for you! I actually found this story a lot more entertaining after about six and a half brewskies. Anyway, I'm supposed to give the disclaimer here because the author didn't do a very good job at the beginning: there are only three original characters in this story; the rest were shamelessly portrayed without permission - including yours truly. If you really wanna know, I was created by Rob Liefeld - totally not my fault! And Rumiko Takahashi created Inuyasha, but hey, we all make mistakes..._

**INUYASHA:** _Who are you talking to!_

**DEADPOOL:** _Nevermind, I'm almost done. Also (very unfortuantely) no Celebrities were harmed in the making of this fan fiction - afterward, however, is a different story...I regret nothing._

_Epilogue: Two weeks later, Higurashi residence…_

Kagome sat staring at her English assignment miserably. Looking to her left she saw calculus awaiting her, economics next in line to her right. The bewildered girl put her head in her hands and slumped at the desk, "that's it, the Shikon jewel can wait; I'm never going to get caught up in school."

The phone rang, and from down stairs she heard her grandfather pick it up. "Hello?...Kagome? Yes, let me get her for you."

_"Arrrgh! Can't he just tell whoever it is that I'm sick?"_

The old man approached her door shortly, holding the phone out for his granddaughter, "Kagome, you have a call."

"Who is it, grandpa?"

"I don't know; some sinister-sounding man with a foreign accent."

The girl's jaw dropped, "so why did you tell – _oh never mind_," she reached out and resignedly took the phone.

"Hello?"

"Hi, Luigi's Sushi Shack; is it true you have the best chimichangas in Tokyo," said a raspy voice in English.

"Wade," she asked incredulously.

"You remembered," exclaimed the man on the other line.

"Um yeah; how are you?"

"Well actually not so good."

"Oh?"

"Yeah, my roommate has dibs on the TV for the weekend, and I just can't stomach a 24 hour Matlock marathon. So I decided to set my coordinates for some R 'n' R. Anyway, I was kind of in town and wondered how you were these days."

Kagome looked around at her mountain of homework once again and grimaced, "I'm doing just great."

"That's good," there was an awkward pause followed by some loud breathing on the other line, "I'm glad that you aren't -like- still kidnapped or anything."

"Thanks; it's nice to hear from you," the girl drummed her fingers anxiously, "so are you staying for long?"

"Not really," Wade answered brightly, "which is why I was wondering if you knew where to find Inuyasha – don't you have an igloo for him in the backyard or something?"

"Actually, Inuyasha isn't here – he's back in his own time."

Another pause followed, "Oh cool, but you know how to get him don't you?"

Kagome did not like where this was going, "yes, but Wade I can't go find him now – I have so much homework to catch up on..."

"Aw, come on Kags, I saved your life; doesn't that count for anything?"

"Well, technically that was Gina and maybe Swami Fitzgibbon," she couldn't help but point out. Along with Inuyasha, Wade (even in the short time she'd known him) was one of the few people Kagome felt comfortable speaking bluntly to.

"Hey I did my part! She never would have got there in time if it weren't for me; of course I can't blame her for getting a little distracted – I _am_ irresistible, after all."

The teenager snorted, "right."

"You know you want me – you just won't admit it"

"Look, I'm sorry Wade, but I really have to get back to my books..."

"Wait, hear me out," he cut in, "I can make it worth your while. I'm really bored and Weasel's not around and – well – as a merc I'm kind of limited on friends. There, I admit it: I'm unpopular – ya happy?"

"Again, I wish there was something I could do, but I just can't."

"C'mon what's your price," Wade insisted, "what do you want?"

The girl fidgeted irritably with her pencil, "I don't want anything..."

"...Money, new wheels, front row tickets to the Ricky Martin World Tour concert..."

Kagome's breath suddenly caught, however she quickly recovered, "I – no thank you!"

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, now please let me study."

"Not even if ol' 'Spanish Eyes' came to your house for a private performance?"

Now it was the fifteen-year-old's turn to pause, "don't tell me you actually know Ricky Martin."

"Not personally, but I like to think we have an implicit understanding: as long as he doesn't plan on any Menudo reunions I have no reason to hunt him down, carve him like fudge and sell off the pieces on e-bay."

"But – but how would you do that," gasped Kagome.

"Simple, just take a really sharp knife and..."

"No! I mean how could you get him to come here?" Even as she asked, the girl scarcely believed she was actually considering the insane offer.

"Oh, never you mind that, you just see about bringing that crazy mixed-up dog demon and I'll meet you there with the entertainment."

"Are you _serious_?"

"As serious as a Hefty Bag full of rabid circus poodles," swore the mercenary.

Kagome chewed indecisively on her pencil and gave her assignments an agonized glance. "Alright, I'll do it," she burst – caving at last.

Immediately after hanging up with Deadpool, the teen jumped out of her swivel chair and did a happy dance around her room. She knew there would almost certainly be consequences, but if Wade was telling the truth it'd be worth it.

Souta, who happened to be walking by, froze as he spied his sister in the middle of her bizarre celebration. "Uh, are you dancing, sis, or just having a seizure?"

Kagome whirled around, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment, "Souta! Get out of here!" Without waiting for him to obey, she grabbed a pair of shoes and shoved past her kid brother – bolting for the well house.

_In the Warring States Period..._

The normally restless hanyou sat in a field of tall grass, enjoying some badly needed downtime. Tetsusaiga lay across his lap while his chin slumped deep into his chest, causing him to snore softly. Once or twice his ear flicked as he dreamt of some such battle or another, but otherwise Inuyasha was the picture of serenity.

So out of it was the young man that the rustle of hurried foot steps in his direction went completely unnoticed until he was suddenly and forcefully shaken awake and left sputtering with disoriented outrage. Allowing his vision to focus, he registered familiar dark eyes staring urgently back into his face.

"_What the hell is wrong with you_," he roared loud enough to blow Kagome's hair back.

"Inuyasha, you have to come back with me to my house," gasped the human girl as she tugged impatiently at his sleeve.

"Look, if this is another 'date' then forget it – I ain't goin' nowhere! I've had my fill of _everything_ having to do with your time."

"No," denied Kagome, "nothing like that; this is something very important."

The boy gave her a curious look, "like what?"

"Well, I can't really explain it – I just need you to come."

"Well, I'm not going anywhere until I know what this is all about," the half-demon crossed his arms obstinately.

Kagome made a noise of frustration, looking heavenward for patience. "I can't tell you because," the girl reflected, "…it would ruin the surprise."

She laid both hands on his shoulders and looked beseechingly into his amber eyes, "_please _won't you come with me?"

The flustered Inuyasha managed to stammer idiotically for a moment before finally croaking, "O-kay."

The hanyou looked once again at the mortal girl as they stood above the portal between his and Kagome's worlds. "Will I like the surprise," he asked in a tone that indicated he strongly doubted he would.

"Ummmm," began Kagome noncommittally before leaping down the well while the remainder of the thought dangled like a live wire over Inuyasha's head.

_The Reunion…_

The silver haired half-demon sat grumbling impatiently on her bed. Kagome glanced anxiously at her watch, even as she rushed to finish her homework. The two had been in the girl's room for nearly twenty minutes, and the dog demon was very obviously nearing the end of his short fuse.

"I'm waiting, Kagome; where is this surprise that you promised?"

"Soon – it'll be soon – I think," (_I hope_) she added mentally. Unable to concentrate between Inuyasha's grousing and her own nervous excitement, the teenager stood up and crossed to her window – all efforts at schoolwork abandoned. Her heart thudded louder than when she'd first been attacked by Mistress Centipede all that time ago as fantasies of what she would say and do raced through her pubescent mind.

Even the boy sulking in her room seemed to notice her anxiety and quietly joined her at the window. Kagome hoped he couldn't hear the pounding in her chest.

At her side, Inuyasha prepared to say something, however, his words were cut off by the sounds of a diesel engine and a horn blaring "Livin La Vida Loca" from just outside. Kagome nearly knocked him over bolting out of the room.

She found the enormous tour bus idling on the street in front her house; Kagome couldn't suppress the uncharacteristic squeal that rose to her throat. Inuyasha, who'd followed at her heels, suddenly balked from the fifteen-year-old like she'd been replaced with an insane evil twin.

The door of the vehicle burst opened to emit a very large body guard wearing a suit and dark glasses who briskly waved the girl inside. When the dog-eared youth moved to follow, he was grabbed firmly by the shoulder. The boy growled warningly then stopped in surprise – that scent – it couldn't be…

"Relax, Spuds MacKenzie, I made Senor Martin swear not to lay a dishonorable finger on her – as if he _could_ bound and gagged as he currently is by a pair of leather chaps – still, Kagome has the choice to do whatever she wants with him. I wouldn't be too worried though; personally, I think the guy eats from the other side of the salad bar," he nudged Inuyasha squarely in the ribs as he grinned suggestively.

"What's going on," protested the irate half-demon reaching for his sword only to unsheathe a toy light saber instead. Wilson slid the real Tetsusaiga securely under his belt.

"Thought you might try that trick again, but they'll be no exploding merc incidents today unless otherwise incurred by my own stupidity.

"Ya see, Kags and I had a deal; she got you here so we could tour the city together, you know, catch a baseball game, maybe get drunk off sake and steal a moped with some underage chippies – the possibilities are endless."

"Hey cool; a tour bus!"

The rest of Kagome's family now stood on the lawn gazing at the big flashy vehicle; Souta's eyes grew as big as saucers once he recognized the name on the side. Ms. Higurashi beamed and clapped enthusiastically, "maybe he'd like to stay for dinner." Grandfather, meanwhile, wept with dismay to see where the swerving tires had plowed over his newly planted hydrangea bush.

"Yes, thank you!" chimed in the mercenary, "Viva La Deadpool – bringer of joy and nacho-cheesiness to all!" He quickly grabbed Inuyasha by the rosary.

"Wait! I never agreed to this deal – I'm not goin' anywhere; Kagome – _Ka-go-meeee_!"

The remainder of boy's loud protesting was cut short as Deadpool tapped his teleporter and cast the pair off amidst Tokyo's urban sprawl.

_Nearby Tokyo…_

Three girls, meanwhile, where on their way to the Higurashi Shrine in the hopes of coaxing their friend Kagome out for a fun evening.

"Poor kid, she needs a little break every now and then from being sick and catching up on homework," sighed Yuka.

"I wonder if that hot-tempered, possessive boyfriend of hers has been by recently," Eri mused, "do you think we'll ever get to meet the guy?"

"Ooh, I hope so; I'll bet he's really hot."

"I'm just curious as to why Kagome seems so secretive about him – almost like she doesn't want us to meet him."

"Well, you know what a private person Kagome is; maybe there's something about him that she doesn't want us to know."

Eri frowned, "We're her best friends – there shouldn't be anything she can't tell us about in confidence."

Walking a couple paces ahead, Ayumi suddenly stopped, grabbing her two friends by the wrists and ceasing their conversation. "What is that," the other girls followed her finger just over the hill to a very large automobile parked haphazardly on the Higurashi front lawn.  
Exchanging quick glances, they immediately raced each other the rest of the way up the street. When they reached their destination, still gasping for breath, the trio nearly fainted all together at the sight before them.

"Does that thing say what I think it does," gasped Yuka, eyes glued to the side of the bus.

"Maybe _that's _what Kagome didn't want us to know about her boyfriend; he- he's"

Ayumi spontaneously burst into wild shrieks, and soon the other two joined in while jumping around madly.

"Hey what's going on out here," demanded a familiar voice, Kagome stepped around from the other side of the vehicle.

"_Kagome, why didn't you tell us_," cried her friends in unison, rushing up to the girl.

"Calm down," she assured them, "I only just got finished untying him…"

The others looked scandalized, "Kagome, I had no idea you were so kinky," Eri exclaimed.

The first girl grinned excitedly at them, "Well since you're already here, do you guys want to see a private concert?"

She might as well have asked Miroku if he'd like to soak in a hot spring with six Vestal Virgins – the three teenagers nearly trampled their hostess in their enthusiasm to storm the bus. The door slammed behind the giddy foursome and, once again, the street went calm.

Seconds passed before a distant explosion momentarily broke the suburban silence. Less than a minute later a charred moped dropped inexplicably from the sky and landed on the shrine steps with a crash; another blackened shape immediately followed, hurtling into a nearby thorn patch.

"…Best vacation ever," grunted Deadpool, "_Ouch_…that was my second favorite finger!"

THE END

000

_! Yeah…I have no idea where that ending came from either; a bit abrupt, but otherwise this might have rambled on for four more pages! AAHHHH!_

_Well, thanks again to everyone who reviewed, and I hope you enjoyed reading even if you didn't review. I, for the most part, enjoyed writing this fic. If you have any comments or something you'd like to add, I'd love to hear feedback - I also don't mind leaving reviews on other people's writing if I get one from someone._

_Thanks again SunshineDust, Montrith, CrazyPoet, and everyone else -love you all!_


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